Third Sage's Second Chance
by Asianpotter1
Summary: Madara Uchiha, with both of his Rinnegan, defeats Naruto and Sasuke, but in his battle with Kaguya, something weird happens. Weird, as in he finds himself in a new world, simply called "Remnant". inspired by ShadowofheartsXIII. (update imminent)
1. Chapter 1

**Welp, my first ever naruto fic, let's get this started I guess**

Chapter 1

The moon floated above, watching over three men as they had fought before a massive tree, thousands of pods hanging from its branches. In the middle of a destroyed battlefield, with two bodies lying on the floor, a single man, clad in white with purple eyes panted heavily.

"I've finally done it." he muttered to himself before letting out a low chuckle. "The world is finally at peace, without conflict, without sorrow."

Behind him, there was a slow clapping, as a man with white hair and half of his body covered in a black substance approached him. "Very well done, Madara-sama," he said in a low raspy voice. "You performed wonderfully,"

"Hn, no thanks to you, Black Zetsu" Madara replied. "Hmm, now, what should I do-" he paused mid-sentence as he saw the one he called Black Zetsu walking towards the two bodies. "Eh?"

"Hmmm, this will be sufficient." he said, putting his hands on both bodies. Suddenly, the black substance spread to the two's bodies, covering them, and his own body, completely.

Madara could see it, with his eyes: the Rinnegan. Chakra drained from the tree, flowing and bulging at Black Zetsu's position. The black substance expanded, taking the form of a massive orb that swallowed the three. Madara, having never seen anything like it, chose to stay back and observe. Before long, the mass stopped expanding, and began to shrink, yet its chakra continued to increase. Simultaneously, there was a burning sensation raging in Madara's forehead. He clutched it, still maintaining eye contact.

" _What is this?_ " Madara asked himself, seeing as the blob took a new shape.

Eventually, the black changed color, becoming white, gold, and purple, in the pattern of a large dress of some sort. Then, it formed a head, with white hair over three meters in length. The colors hardened, and in place of the black orb was a woman. Her eyes were white, skin as pale as his, with two horns protruding from her head. In the center of her forehead, between and above her white eyes, was a third eye. It red in color, decorated with a ripple pattern around the pupil, and several black tomoe on the two innermost ripples. It was then, that the burning in Madara's head stopped, as he felt something missing. That red eye, the Rinne Sharingan, was stolen from him. In the place of the third eye on his head, was a horned headband, the same he wore before obtaining the eye.

"Byakugan… it can't be, that's!" he realized, staring at the pair of white eyes she had. The amount of chakra she possessed, coupled with her appearance, meant she could only be one person: the mother of the first Sage of Six Paths, Kaguya Otsutsuki. "Black Zetsu, what is the meaning of this?" he demanded from the woman.

"Heheheh…" Black Zetsu cackled. "Madara, you have served your purpose quite well, and as a reward, you will have your chakra taken personally by mother.

The woman floated in the air, staring back at Madara, and her mouth curved into a frown.

"You... you are like me… I cannot allow this. _My_ chakra must be unified." she said, veins around her eyes becoming visible.

"...I see, you used those boys' chakra and their bodies to serve as a catalyst to summon her. I assume you would have used me were you to have the chance."

"Indeed, now, die with that knowledge, Madara." Black Zetsu ordered.

Kaguya lunged at Madara, both of her hands extended outwards to grab him. Madara flew to the right, using one of the ten black orbs behind him to form a staff. She pivoted, aiming for Madara again but instead, using her hair as tendrils to ensnare him.

"Senpō: Ranton Kōga" Madara spoke, opening his mouth as if he was going to spit something. From his mouth, a thin straight beam shot out at the speed of light towards Kaguya, cutting the tendrils made of hair with ease. Unfortunately, she was able to prevent the beam from doing any serious damage. She stopped her pursuit, deciding to change her approach. With an upward swing of her right arm, sharp stone spikes rose from the ground, aiming at Madara. He noticed though, using his staff to cut apart the attack as it came.

" _That was senjutsu, and without question not the only one. On top of that, she has more chakra than I do, though by very little. I need to be careful against her, until; I've identified her entire arsenal. I shall wait for an opening. If we are alike as Black Zetsu said, she will be vulnerable to senjutsu and taijutsu as I am._ " he concluded.

He opened his eyes as wide as he could, before calling out two words. "Limbo: Hengoku" surrounding him, four copies of himself invisible to anyone without the rinnegan or six paths senjutsu, appeared. Having the same abilities as he did, the four Shadows flew forward at Kaguya in his place. One threw a punch, but she caught it with ease. Another threw its own punch, but that two was blocked. Kaguya gripped both fists, swinging her arms forward and slamming the two together.

"Fool, have you forgotten already that the Rinne Sharingan is also the Rinnegan as well?" Black Zetsu mocked.

The four Shadows rearranged themselves, surrounding Kaguya in a square formation. They attacked at once, using their numbers to their advantage. However, Kaguya had another counter for this. Centimeters above her, a paper thin black polygon appeared, expanding to her length. She ascended, passing through the polygon and used it as a space-time portal to escape. The Shadows stopped before they would collide with each other, returning to Madara and disappearing.

" _It appears that won't work. Now she has disappeared._ " he thought. " _She'll be back soon. Her goal is to take my chakra, not kill me…_ " the black staff returned to its spherical shape, as well as its place behind his back. Madara then brought his hands close to his chest, holding his index pointer and middle fingers vertically, while holding his left index and middle horizontally. The right index finger and left middle finger connected as he activated another jutsu.

"Kage bunshin no jutsu" he said. A puff of smoke appeared beside him, and from the smoke, a visible shadow clone levitated.

Once Kaguya re-emerged from her portal, only one Madara remained. He immediately noticed her, but was not fast enough to dodge this time. She grabbed him by the throat, and Black Zetsu's substance extended to cover half of his body.

"This is the end." Kaguya said in her monotone voice. However, the Madara she held exploded into the smoke it birthed from. In her momentary confusion, she felt a sharp stinging pain in her side. The real Madara, a Chokuto in hand, stabbed her in the abdomen.

"Mother!" Black Zetsu exclaimed.

Madara's attack was not finished however, as he put his own chakra into the blade, causing blue sparks to flicker. In a split second, Kaguya was hit with an extreme amount of natural energy infused lightning chakra.

"It seems _You're quite useful, even in death, Sasuke._ " Madara complimented his fallen kinsmen.

In her panic, Kaguya's Rinne Sharingan flashed, and the two suddenly disappeared from the moonlit battlefield.

 **Core Dimension**

The two had shifted in space, sliding into a completely different dimension. The sky was bright green and the rock ground below was covered in mountain ranges. Madara retreated, taking the chokuto with him.

" _This place, she must have used a space-time jutsu, but I can tell it costed a significant portion of her chakra._ "

"Mother, we are in the core dimension now, we should end this as soon as possible."

"I must reclaim my chakra, especially such a large amount." she replied, "but, there will be plenty of time to recover before they arrive." it was then that she held up her hands, pointing her palms to Madara. From them, two bone-like sticks emerged, and fired out.

"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu" Madara created another shadow clone in front of him, which intercepted the projectiles. Moments after it did, the area around where the stick had hit began to decay rapidly. In seconds, the shadow clone had turned to dust. " _I see, so she's going to try to kill me. If I'm hit by even one of those, I'm done for.._ "

Kaguya prepared the same projectile attack, but instead pointed her arm to the side, away from Madara. Two centimeters in front of the tip of the bone, another black polygon appeared. The stick shot out of her hand, and into the portal. Silently, and right behind Madara, a portal of the same size opened, and the sharpened bone spear emerged. With his unrivalled sensory ability, Madara reacted to, and was able to dodge the attack, which flew past him.

With that plan a failure, Kaguya decided to take a more close ranged approach. She clenched her hand into a fist, and flew towards Madara. "Yasogami Kūgeki" she said, throwing a punch. Using her immense chakra, she created multiple massive fists out of chakra. Madara used his black spheres to create a square shield, absorbing most of the punches, except for two which managed to hit him with enough force to throw him into the ground.

" _It's just like that man's eight gates technique Sekizo. This is getting more and more interesting._ " Madara smiled, rising back onto his feet. "It's time we ended this, I have things I must do."

"Such impertinence, you don't even know what is to come, Madara." Black Zetsu said. "This whole time, you thought your actions were that of a savior, but you couldn't be more wrong."

"What are you saying?"

"The Infinite Tsukuyomi is a genjutsu, the most powerful genjutsu of all, however, its purpose isn't to save humanity, but to make them into White Zetsu soldiers. When this is over, and your chakra is absorbed, Mother will begin the process, and there's nothing you can do to stop her."

"We shall see about that. I won't allow you to bring any harm to any of them. I will stop you here and now." Madara put his hands together, and prepared another jutsu. "Moku Bunshin no Jutsu" around Madara, five wooden clones spawned, and performed a series of their own hand seals.

"Senpo Katon: Karyū Endan"  
"Senpo Suiton: Suiryūdan no Jutsu"  
"Senpo Doton: Doryūdan"  
"Senpo Raiton: Sandāboruto"  
"Senpo Fūton: Daitoppa"

Each of the wood clones attacked using the five basic nature releases. Three dragons made of earth, water, and fire, a lightning bolt, and a massive gust of wind blades. As they came closer and closer, Kaguya repeated her previous attack, thrusting countless chakra fists and nullifying the elemental jutsu. Without hesitation, Madara dispelled his wood clones and continued his assault, using the lightning-charged chokuto as his weapon. He once again stabbed Kaguya with the electrified blade, paralyzing her body and allowing him to attack once more. He connected a right hook with her jaw, before delivering an axe kick, bringing her down with enough force to make the ground shake.

Kaguya kneeled down on the floor, panting like she never had before.

"Mother, are you okay?" Black Zetsu asked concerned.

"I… how could I be brought to this… I must… I must defeat him."

"Shit, there isn't enough chakra to take us to the gravity dimension!"

Madara landed in front of her, preparing to land a final blow and end their battle. After which, he would take the Rinne Sharingan back, and return to the Elemental Nations.

"You are powerful, but you lack the skill to wield it. _That_ , was your downfall." he explained, pushing the sword through her chest.

"Mother!" Black Zetsu screamed. "You, you insect! How dare you do this to mother!"

"This is the end, Black Zetsu, Kaguya." Madara declared.

"No… it's not… for you…" Kaguya said through the blood coming out of her mouth. She slowly lifted her shaking right hand up, but without any strength left, she wasn't likely to attack. Unbeknownst to Madara, a large black portal opened behind him. He noticed, but it was too late

"What?!" he asked, turning his head and seeing the portal. Suddenly, there was a strong force being applied to his front, pushing him through the portal.

"What… is going on?!" he tried to speak, but nothing came out of his mouth.

For what felt like ten minutes of absolutely nothing, while drifting in the black void of the portal he was thrown to, there was a light, a very dim light in the corner of Madara's eye. He turned his head, to see the light growing in size, or was he getting closer?

 **END**


	2. Chapter 2

**Okay, before we start, I have some reviews to answer/reply to.**

 **The Baz** **\- noted and fixed**

 **WATCHER89- You're right, and I've found some friends to help me beta read the text, so hopefully the following chapters will be better.**

 **Jjjjjjj- I think Obito, as the juubi jinchuuriki, claimed to be the second Sage of Six Paths, and maybe Kabuto but I think he said he was "close to" not actually there, which would make Madara technically the third.**

Chapter 2

* * *

 **Snow Covered Forest**

* * *

The growling of a large, dog-like creature filled the snowy forest. The Beowolf, a quadrupedal monster with black skin and a white mask circled its newfound prey; two young girls. One with blonde hair and the other had black with red highlights. The blonde girl, maybe eight years old, stood in front of her sister, who was sleeping silently in a wagon she pulled.

"S-someone… please help," the blonde whispered, too tired from walking to run away or scream for help.

The girl, could see her short life flashing before her eyes. This had all happened because of her. If she had chosen not to venture out, neither she, nor her little sister, would be in peril. No one knew that they were here, so rescue was almost certain to never arrive. That changed, however, when through the quiet of the night, there was a voice. She, and even the Beowolf, turned their heads to the sky, where the sound was coming from. Directly above them was a faint glimmer. Light cast from the moon shone on something small, coming closer and closer. The sound grew louder, and into a more audible range. The source of the noise was of a human, screaming. In seconds, there was a crisp "shhrrk" sound, as something fell to the ground. Yang looked down back at the attacking creature, now with its head stuck to the ground. A long metal blade had been driven into its skull, sticking it to the dirt below the snow.

" _A-a sword? But how is there…?_ " her question was soon answered, as following the sword to the ground with a thud, was a human.

In front of the blonde's lavender eyes, a body fell into view, the snow cushioning their fall. It was a boy, roughly as old as she was, with jet black hair reaching down to his chin. He wore a long white robe that ran down to just below his knees. Black comma marks lined the neck. Underneath, he was wearing black pants, boots, and gloves.

"Um… hello?" She asked the unconscious boy. "Are you alright?"

The boy groaned, struggling to move his body. Slowly, his eyes opened, revealing eyes the same color as his hair; black.

"Oh, you're awake." she said relieved. "T-thanks for the help, but who are you?"

"…Madara… Uchiha… " was all he used to reply with, still reluctant to move his muscles until he was less sore.

"Oh... Well, hi Madara. I'm Yang," she greeted him.

The time for rest, however, was not now, for the now dead and evaporating Beowolf wasn't the only one around. In seconds, three other Beowolves approached the three. Yang's purple eyes widened, stepping backwards, her fear clearly resurfacing.

Madara noticed the incoming threat, and forced himself into movement. He quickly stood himself up, and grabbed the sword beside him, holding it with both of his hands.

" _Why is it longer than before?_ " he asked himself. Nonetheless, he pointed the sword to the three creatures. The runt of the three made the first move, lunging forward and swinging its sharp claws at Madara, but was blocked by his sword. He lifted his up leg and kicked hard, staggering the Beowolf. With space created, Madara placed the sword back into the ground and brought his hands together.

"Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu!" he said, holding one hand in front of his mouth.

" _Gōkakyū-what?_ " Utterly perplexed by his words, Yang continued to stay back, behind Madara and the fray.

A fireball, about two feet in diameter, launched from his mouth and collidedwith the wolf's head, exploding and killing it instantly.

" _What? That should've been much larger. What has happened?_ " It was then, that the other two rushed at him. "Shinra tensei!" he shouted, but to his surprise, nothing happened, and he was left open. Madara jumped back, trying to avoid the two larger creatures' attacks, but one of their claws was able to rip through his black pant leg, and slashing the flesh underneath.

"Nng" Madara grunted, feeling the unexpected pain that followed.

"N-no!" Yang exclaimed.

Madara was on the ground, somehow unable to stand up. " _I don't understand. My chakra reserves are much smaller and I can't feel my rinnegan. It's as if I've lost all of my powers… is this it? Am I going to die here next to these children?_ " For the first in a long time, he felt an emotion he hadn't felt in decades: fear, utter hopelessness that rendered him mute.

The answer came quickly, not with a painful death at the hands of animals, but with the sound of another sharp slash. In front of them, an adult man appeared, cutting down the two wolves in one fell swoop with a large scythe.

"Uncle... Qrow...?!" Yang named, smiling excitedly.

"You kids are always causing trouble for us adults. You know that?" he said sarcastically, collapsing his scythe into a smaller compact form. His voice was rough, like there was restraint in his voice. With the threat gone, he turned around to face Yang. "Now, let's get you and your sister home. Tai and Summer are already going nuts-" he stopped, noticing Madara next to Yang. "So not only did you bring Ruby, but a boy too… What, Is he your boyfriend or something?"

"N-no!" she said, face turning red. "I don't know who he is, but, he just fell from the sky and killed one of them."

Qrow looked dumbfounded, skeptical mostly. "Really, she serious?" he asked.

"Yes, I killed one of them." he replied, noticing his voice was higher pitched than before " _wait, my voice, that too has changed? I'm… am I too a child?_ ".

"Huh… well whaddya know, another huntsmen to be…" Qrow noted. A small smirk grew on his face. " _This kid's gonna be something big in the future. I'm sure of it._ "

He then saw the bleeding gash on Madara's leg. He whistled. "Wow, you sure took one for the team."

"They aren't my team." Madara replied dryly.

"Either way, we'll get that treated, Yang, wake your sister up, this guy needs to not be on his leg until he's patched up."

"I don't need to be h-nng," Madara tried to stand, but fell back on his butt.

"Uh~ yeah, you're not going anywhere soon with that leg. Yang?" he asked again, but Yang was already busy getting her sister out of the wagon. "Here, let me patch that leg up," Qrow offered, taking out bandage wrapping.

"I don't need help," Madara continued to protest.

"Yeah yeah, well you're getting it anyways." Qrow dismissed Madara quickly, raising the pant leg and using the wrapping to cover his wound. It stung at first, causing Madara to flinch, but was manageable enough to bear with.

"H-huh… where are… we?" the younger girl asked, rubbing her eyes and starting to shiver. "Uncle Qrow?"

"Don't worry about it kiddo, your sister and I just found this guy injured here, so we're bringing him back to get fixed up." Qrow said, gesturing to Madara, whom he was supporting to stand up.

"Oh, okay then." Ruby replied, thinking nothing more of it. She liked to help people anyways.

* * *

 **Xiao Long-Rose Family Home**

* * *

In a clearing in the middle of the woods, there was a large two story log cabin, owned by none other than Yang's and Ruby's parents. It was what they all considered home. With that said, at the moment, one girl had wanted to be away from home more than ever.

"Yang Xiao Long, you are grounded!" the blonde man declared. He was about as old as Qrow and, judging on appearance, was likely Yang's father. He wore brown cargo pants, reaching down to just below his knees and a brown vest over a tan dress shirt.

"What were you thinking when you went out there? You know how dangerous it is in the forest, especially at night!?" he asked, staring at his daughter, eyes filled with irritation.

Yang remained silent, only staring at her father as he berated her.

"Jeez, I'm just glad you're safe." he admitted, calming himself down and lowering his tone. "you have no idea how worried we all were. When we found out you two were missing, Your mother almost had a panic attack."

"Actually, Tai here was the one having the panic attack." Qrow corrected. "Summer went to search elsewhere right after we found out."

"Sorry, dad." Yang apologized, keeping her head down and avoiding making eye contact.

Tai sighed, putting his thumb and index fingers to his forehead. "We'll talk about it tomorrow morning. Right now, go to bed. It's already late enough."

Yang did as she told, slowly climbing up the stairs, to her bedroom, and a loud door slamming thud followed.

"Eh, I'll be hitting the sack too, I've got a mission tomorrow." Qrow told Tai, before quickly retreating to the spare bedroom.

" _Mission? Is he a shinobi?_ _No, that's not possible. Perhaps he's one of the huntsmen mentioned earlier? Are they this land's equivalent to a shinobi?_ " Madara mused.

"Hey, kid," Tai said, facing Madara now that they were alone. "So, I heard you saved my daughters' lives. I really should thank you for that. Qrow's fast, but without you they would've been dead for sure." Tai gave a smile of respect to the boy, impressed by his actions and his bravery.

"There is no need to thank me. I had only managed to eliminate one of those creatures. That 'Qrow' was responsible for defeating the others and rescuing us." he said,

"Well, even that's not half bad. It takes guts to face agrimm head on. On top of that, I don't think I've ever heard of a kid fighting off a Grimm before. If I didn't know any better, I'd say you've been trained by a huntsman."

"I'm sorry, but, what exactly is a huntsman?" Madara asked.

"...wait, you're serious?" Tai looked surprised once more. "A huntsman, you know, warriors trained to protect humanity? We learn and train at schools then take missions all around the world. Surely you've heard of a huntsman before, right?"

Madara shook his head, "No. this is the first time I've heard the word. Though, your description matches a word that _is_ familiar to me. From my perspective, you described a shinobi."

"A shino-what?" Tai asked. "Sorry, it looks like we both have different vocabularies… do you have any family nearby you could call? Do you have a scroll on you?" Tai brandished a thin rectangular object to Madara, as if he was hoping to spark a memory.

"No, I do not have any family, period. I also think that our meanings for 'scrolls' are also very different."

"no family, huh?" Tai said, looking slightly to the side while scratching his head nervously, "Where'd you come from then?"

"Let's just say, I'm from a very far away place, but for my life, I've had no family." Madara said plainly. " _He likely won't believe me if I told him my origins. Nobody here would._ " he made a note of.

"Dang, I guess that's why you were alone in the forest." Tai said, a frown quickly formed. "Hey, listen, If you don't have a place, how about spending the night here?" he offered. "I mean, you're already injured, and you _did_ help my family out, so the least we could do is give you a place to sleep."

Madara stared silently, genuinely surprised by the man's generosity. Madara hadn't interacted with someone like this since he and Hashirama formed Konoha, over a century ago. It was, refreshing, to say the least. "I… see,"

"You don't have to if you don't want to. I'm just suggesting it," Tai reassured the boy.

"Yes, thank you. I'll take you up on that offer."

"No problem. Qrow is taking the guest room for the night, so if you want, you can use the couch. I'm sure Zwei will keep you company."

"Very well then." Madara said, slowly making his way to the couch in the middle of the living room.

"Night- oh yeah, we never told each other our names." Tai realized. "I'm Taiyang, or Tai for short. I'm Yang's father."

"It's good to meet you, Tai, I am Madara Uchiha, and goodnight." Madara replied, lying down on the couch.

The lights turned off, and darkness once again covered Madara, the man in a boy's body. Silence filled the atmosphere, so much so that he could hear his own heartbeat. Something that he hadn't heard, nor felt very frequently in recent times. In fact, this was the first time he could really "rest" in almost a century. His whole life was absorbed in combat, manipulation, death, all for the goal of peace, and yet that peace was faux from the beginning.

" _I truly am in a different world. This must be a result of what Kaguya did. I'll play along with the rules of this world, until I can find a way to return… return… to what?_ " he asked himself. " _A subject for another day. I was given an opportunity to rest, and I shall use it._ " he decided, allowing his mind to finally sleep.

 **END**

 **I hope you all are enjoying the story so far. It's the first RWBY and first Naruto story I've ever done. I have quite a few things I want to do with this story, so hopefully I can get to the point where I can make those ideas "real". Anyways, if you all do enjoy, plz follow, favorite and/or review. Feedback is very important to me and if there's any questions, I'll try to reply to them.**


	3. Chapter 3

**AceSpeedNinja- I mean, whatever way you look at it, Madara's plans and actions have always been for the goal of peace, considering himself a "savior" because of that, not general narcissism.**

 **Adislt- Well, you're right in thinking his loss of powers is because of traveling through the portal, but not completely right. All I'll say on the subject is this: it is because he's in a younger form, but it's not technically like he actually lost his powers,**

 **Dandyrr0403- uhhh, idk. Atm for Madara I'm planning for something in between. As for Summer, to say the least, you'll see more of her in this than in RWBY.**

 **The Baz- I would assume that Tai didn't know that, and clearly Madara's missing some of his stuff.**

 **WATCHER89- don't worry, he'll grow in power in short time. In the words of Ozpin: "but for now they're only children, so let them play the part. It is not a role they will be able to play for long." also I'd advise not to get used to the quick updates. That's only because I have the freetime, and it's the weekends. It may take longer in between chapters from here on out. I'll try to keep things somewhat frequent though.**

 **Also right before we start, I wanna say thank you all for the feedback, and favoriting/following this story. I did not at all expect this to happen. Without further ado, let's get chapter 3 started.**

Chapter 3

Morning came as the sun stood high in the sky beside the half-shattered moon, with the snow already melting and evaporating. Within the log cabin, everything was quiet, as everyone only began to wake up.

"..hn..nnnng!" Ruby groaned as she stretched in her bed and blinking rapidly.

She slowly removed the large blanket off of her legs, as she noticed something weird. The family dog, Zwei, was looking out of her window, which he somehow opened.

"Zwei, good morning." she greeted. The dog barked back, likely returning her words, but continued to look out into the green below. "What're you looking at?" she asked, getting out of bed to examine whatever had him interested.

Down, in front of the house were two boys, identical in appearance. Even more strange to Ruby, was that they were both Madara. However, they weren't wearing the white robe she had seen before. Instead, they were wearing black shorts and t-shirts. From what she could see, they were sparring, as both continuously threw punches and kicks at one another, not a single one landing.

" _Are they fighting? I wanna see!_ " She said to herself eagerly. Interested to see what was happening, Ruby quickly got herself dressed, putting on her gray long-sleeve shirt, pants, her beloved red hood, and making her way downstairs, with Zwei following right behind her. It took less than twenty seconds before she made it outside, albeit exhausted. Though, to her, it was completely worth it. As an aspiring huntress, combat was one of her favorite things to observe.

The two were still fighting, using only their hands and feet. One of the Madaras threw his fist high, but the other ducked, roundhouse kicking and trying to sweep under his feet. It didn't work, as they jumped back, but the other rushed him.

"Hey!" Ruby called out, causing both of the two to turn their heads. "Uh…" she paused, her cheeks turning red while realizing she didn't know what she was going to say. "Umm, it was… I never got your name, mister..."

The two looked at one another, nodding to each other before one of them exploded into smoke, leaving the real Madara alone with her. "Hm, you were the girl in the wagon. My name is Madara Uchiha." he replied, his blank face changing to one of curiosity. "I was never told of your name either, what is it?" he asked.

"O-oh, right, my name's Ruby, Ruby Rose." she answered, walking closer to the older boy. "Hey, I thought you were injured, how are you moving around so much?" Ruby asked, with a concerned tone.

"I can heal my wounds quickly using my Chakra." he explained, showing his almost completely healed leg.

"Wow, what's a Chakra?"

"Oh, right." Madara mentally facepalmed, remembering that Chakra didn't exist in this world. "It's nothing you'll have to worry about. Call it a special ability"

"Wow~" Ruby was in awe, thinking of it like a superpower. Upon closer inspection, she noticed something else that was different about him. The night before, she could have sworn his eyes were black. His eyes as she saw him now were red in color, with three comma marks around the pupil. She stared in awe, yet intimidated by them at the same time.

"Hey, your eyes, I thought they were black before. What happened?" she asked, staring intently into his eyes.

"Yes, well, these eyes of mine are called the Sharingan. I can change from black to red when in combat." he said. " _I rediscovered that I could use them this morning, which means I no longer have my Rinnegan. Even worse, I can't evolve them into the straight tomoe mangekyou. Restoring my eyes should be my highest priority._ " he told himself, still watching as Ruby continued to examine his eyes.

"Wow, so you have special eyes too?"

"Too?" Madara asked, raising an eyebrow as he looked at her silver eyes. "They do look unusual." he remarked.

"Y-yeah, my mom said my eyes were special," Ruby said, scratching the back of her head. "But, I have no idea why. She has the same kind of eyes, so I don't think it's rare. I think it's just one of those parent things where they say 'you're special to us' kind of thing, you know?" she chuckled, sheepishly.

" _Hereditary eyes? Perhaps there is something special about their eyes._ " Madara theorized, an idea coming to mind. "Ruby, how would you like to spar with me?"

"Spar?" Ruby repeated, "you mean like, fighting? I don't think so, not yet. My parents said I'm too young for those things."

"How old are you?"

"I'm only six, but when I'm older, I can enter into Signal Academy and then make my own weapon and learn to fight!" she exclaimed, throwing her arms into the air, but quickly lowering them. Madara chuckled, amused by her childish innocence. To him, behavior like this signified a time of peace. Kids around her and his age in his time period would know full well what combat meant - what death meant.

"Well," a woman's voice appeared from behind. "If you want a sparring partner, I have some time." she said. Madara deactivated his Sharingan as he and Ruby turned their heads to see a woman in a long white cloak, reaching down to her ankles. Her hair, black as ebony, with red highlights, just like Ruby's hair, and her eyes were just as silver.

"You're… Ruby's mother." Madara concluded, staying in place and waiting for her to make the first move.

"Mom!" Ruby exclaimed happily, running and hugging her mom. "You're home!"

"Hey there honey," she replied, smiling as she pat her daughter's head. "I won't be home for too long though, I have a mission later today." she then looked back at Madara. "I overheard you that you wanted to spar, how about me, if you're not too scared." she smirked playfully. "Ruby can watch and learn a little, how about it?"

Madara paused, looking at the two while formulating his decision. " _This would be a good opportunity to determine my current limits,_ " he thought. "Are you sure it would be good to subject her to violence? She _is_ still a child."

"Last I checked, you are also a kid too." Summer retorted, silencing the boy. "Besides, my little girl's not afraid to watch a good fight. She wants to be a huntress after all."

Madara shrugged, and took a few steps back. "Very well then, you seem like you'll be a challenge." he said, smirking at her.

"Heh, don't get too cocky. I'll show you what a real huntress can do," Summer replied proudly, walking off of the porch while taking off her cloak. She tossed it to the porch, where Ruby caught it, revealing a full black suit underneath the white exterior.

Ruby watched as the two, standing a mere two meters apart, prepared for close quarters combat. Madara remained in an upright position, like a person waiting in a line, while Summer took a defensive stand, lowering her center of gravity and holding one of her arms outward.

The air grew thin, tension building as the two stared at one another motionlessly. Without a single punch or kick being thrown yet, the two could both tell one thing about each other. They both exerted an invisible pressure, the kind only a seasoned warrior would have after countless battles in which they wagered their own lives.

" _There's something really weird about this kid._ " Summer analyzed silently, " _It's almost like I'm looking at another huntsmen, but he's just a kid. What the hell has he seen in his life to be like this?_ "

The time to think was over, as Madara struck first with an axe kick. Summer sidestepped, and tried to closeline the boy. He quickly retracted his extended leg, and ducked under her arm, rolling back and distancing himself. Unfortunately, he underestimated her speed. Summer had already closed the distance, she was right in front of him, ready to deliver an elbow to his stomach. With no space to move, Madara raised one of his legs in front of him, taking the brunt of the attack. He was pushed away from Summer, and used the distance to put his right index and left middle finger together.

"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" he said. A puff of smoke appeared beside Madara, and out came a shadow clone, to Summer's surprise. The clone through a punch, which connected with the Huntress' abdomen. However, for some reason, it appeared as if she had taken no damage at all. She hadn't even flinched.

" _What?_ " Madara thought, confused why the clone's attack did nothing.

Thinking quickly, he switched the colors of his eyes. His black irises became red, with three tomoe spinning wildly. His eyes revealed something he hadn't seen before. There was a translucent layer of an unknown substance surrounding her body, like a shield.

" _A chakra cloak? No, it feels different from chakra. What is it though?_ " he asked, a smile growing quickly on his face. "That shield of yours, what is it?" Madara asked.

"My shield… oh! You mean my Aura?" Summer asked, her eyes widened in surprise. "How do you see my Aura?"

"My eyes allow me to see chakra, but it seems here, chakra is called aura."

Summer nodded slowly, still somewhat confused, but quickly shook her head and recomposed herself. "Well, it doesn't matter, I'm sure you all will find out about it when you get into training school."

"Hn, very well," Madara said, getting himself into a combat stance.

Summer attacked first, with a straight kick, but Madara ducked under her leg, sliding to the side. She punched, but with Madara's Sharingan, he was able to slip past it, grabbing her arm and throwing her over his shoulder. She hit the ground with a thud, causing the aura around her body to become thinner, and less visible.

" _So it depletes after taking damage. Though, I assume it replenishes over time._ " Madara thought as he stepped back from Summer, who was getting back onto her feet.

"Let's, end it here." she suggested, to which Madara agreed with a silent nod. "Dang, that wasn't half bad, kid." Summer complimented. "I wasn't expecting a move like that. I was sure my punch would've hit."

"My eyes saw through your attempt. You might as well haven't tried." he replied, deactivating his Sharingan and turning his eyes back to black.

"It sounds like a cheat. Then again, Qrow's got a pretty useful semblance to..." Summer muttered, before looking back at Madara with a smile. "Heh, if I knew you were going to use your eyes like that, I would've been more careful with my attacks." she said, a hint of self disappointment in her voice.

"You also have visual powers?" Madara said intrigued.

"Well, maybe I'll show you next time we spar." Summer offered, walking back to Ruby and her cloak hood. "For now though, I have a mission to get to."

"You won't be gone for long, will you?" Ruby asked, handing back the cloak with a frown. "Please come home soon."

"No, don't worry honey. It's not like I'm gonna die over a simple mission like this one. I'll be back soon, okay?" she said with a smile, before returning to the inside of the house.

Madara walked to the porch, where Ruby was, pressing his fingers against his eyes, as if he was in pain. "Rrg," Madara groaned. " _So this is how weak I've become. My chakra pool is so low I can't maintain my Sharingan for long. I will have to remedy this soon._ " he said in frustration.

"That. Was. AWESOME!" Ruby cheered, once again throwing her arms in the air with a huge smile on her face. "That was the coolest fight I've ever seen. I've never seen my mom fight another person before. Can I see your eyes again?" she asked, begging like a puppy would for treats.

"Sorry, but not right now, these eyes take a lot of my stamina." He apologized, "perhaps another time, when I've rested."

"Aww," she whined, before perking back up, "Oh well, there's always tomorrow… actually, hey, Madara, did you ever find a way to get back home?" Ruby asked. Madara shook his head, which made Ruby frown, but a moment later, her smile returned. "Oh, I know! If you can't find a way home, maybe dad will let you stay here with us!" She suggested, before running into the house. Madara stood perplexed, once again caught off guard by how the people of this world acted.

" _Hn, to think, Madara Uchiha, leader of the Uchiha Clan and rival to the God of Shinobi, now a child staying with an unfamiliar family._ " the thought of such a premise made the boy let out a passive chuckle.

"Still hangin out here kid?" Qrow's voice said from behind. Instinctively, Madara spun around, reaching for a kunai that he didn't have. Luckily, he didn't need one. Qrow was unarmed, only standing before the porch and looking at him. "Woah there, easy kid. I just came by to see what the commotion was all about. From the sounds of it, there was a fight?"

Madara relaxed his arms, recomposing himself. "Y-yes, Ruby's mother offered a sparring match, so I took it." he deadpanned.

Qrow seemed to be taken back, whistling like he just heard something spectacular. "Wow, you fought Summer, huh? Pretty damn impressive."

"Not at all," Madara quickly replied, sounding disappointed. "I could tell, she held back extensively."

"Well, it wouldn't be right for an adult to go all out on children, would it?" he said, reminding Madara of his current situation, and of what Madara once said to old opponents. "Anyways, Summer and I will be going on some missions, so I'll see you all around."

"What kind of missions?" Madara inquired, sounding interested. "And how do I partake in these missions?"

"Slow down, kid. These kind of things are serious. You don't easily get your hands on the kind of assignments we do. If you want to know the first step, you can start by entering into Signal Academy, when you're ten. Now then, I gotta go." he said, passing by Madara and into the house.

 **END**

 **Heads up, timeskip ahead.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Dandyrr0403- um, I'd say high genin-low chunin. Also, uh, one of your hopes will come to pass. There was some foreshadowing in the previous chapter.**

 **WATCHER89 + Kingreader- don't worry, he won't just blurt out his secrets to everyone.**

 **Lucian Naruto- you'll see some of what you're thinking very soon.**

 **Shattering- well, the time the story (was) at takes place before the appearance of people like Roman, Cinder, or the others. Don't worry, they'll appear soon.**

Chapter 4

It had been many years, eight total, since the world of Remnant lost a valuable, priceless, individual. The tragic loss of Summer Rose affected many people, but hurt no one more than it did her family, left behind, as she crossed into the afterlife. Taiyang, a proud huntsman, was in shambles for quite some time. A broken man in need of time to heal. Simultaneously, both Ruby and Yang enrolled in Signal, where they began their steps into the world of the Huntsmen and Huntresses, the world of combat. As for Madara, well, he was already partaking in events quite a ways above a training school.

North of the kingdom of Vale and just northeast of Patch, was a forest covered in red grass and red trees. This forest stretched for miles without end, and was appropriately named, "Forever Fall". It was here, on a steep cliffside, that the now sixteen year old Madara Uchiha stood alone, in solemn silence, his eyes red like the landscape around him hid behind a white mask.

" _This should be the location_ " He thought to himself as he looked down the gorge. At the very bottom, lay a long line of train tracks. This specific track, was one used by the Schnee Dust Company, and was also the newest target of the notorious Terrorist organization, the White Fang. " _The white fang, wolves in sheeps' clothing. Nothing more. What a shame_ " he reminded himself, with a frown of utter disgust written on his face.

As he watched the train as it approached him, there was a sudden sonic boom, resonating through the air waves and throwing the seasoned warrior off balance for a brief moment. Following the force that shook the trees far above, was a shrill sound of metal slicing through metal. This clearly was not an accident, no dust explosion would generate such a sound.

"That's my cue," He said to himself, before taking ten steps back, and leaping off the edge at full speed.

 **Train Flatbed**

"And that's that," a male's voice said with a sigh of victory. "Let's go Blake, we have one more set of charges to arm."

"...right…" Blake said, melancholy in her voice, turning around and heading onward ahead of her partner. Before they could advance, however, the girl sensed danger approaching, and fast. "Wait, Adam," she told her partner. The two tensed, becoming more and more paranoid as the sound of a fire burning grew louder and louder.

It was only when Adam had turned his head to the sky, that he realized what the danger really was. "Blake, look out!" he shouted, running and tackling the girl. Luckily for the both, he was just barely fast enough, as right where Blake and he were originally standing, two large fireballs hat hit the platform, exploding and shaking the train.

"What?! B-But I thought we took down the automated security!" Blake said to Adam, her yellow eyes wide as they could be.

As if on cue, there was a soft thud ahead of them on the flatbed. The two turned their heads to the noise, and came face to face with their attacker. His black hair ran down to right below his shoulders. He wore thin mesh-armor underneath a black t-shirt and long black pants, his feet wrapped in sandals. and a single straight sword on his back.

"And who the hell are you?" Adam demanded, standing back up and brandishing his sword at the new intruder.

Madara said nothing, in fact, he didn't move a muscle since his initial entrance, as if to taunt the senior White Fang member.

"Blake, move on past him. I'll take care of this personally." Adam ordered.

Blake looked at him confused, but nodded, a faint glimmer in her eye, like this held a hidden opportunity. With that, Blake ran, and passed Madara, who for some reason didn't try to stop her. The two men were left alone, face to face on the moving platform.

Madara raised his right arm, gripping the hilt of his sword, and the battle already began. Adam lunged forward, starting off with a horizontal cut. It was easily evaded though, as Madara lept back and fully drew his own silver blade. Adam attacked again, with a flurry of swings and thrusts, but without even using the weapon, Madara dodged each move.

"Dammit, stop dodging!" Adam shouted angrily.

He then stepped back, holding up the scabbard which just so happened to double as a single handed rifle. He fired multiple bullets from his sheathe at Madara, hoping that they would be fast enough. However, thanks to his Sharingan, the raven haired boy had no trouble at all, even using the side of his Chokuto to deflect some of the projectiles. With his free hand, Madara reached into one of his pockets, and took out a piece of paper. This piece of paper wasn't ordinary, however, as drawn on it was a weird letter, alien to Remnant, surrounded by a circle of other, smaller, and similar letters. Smoke erupted from the parchment, and out of it appeared a small metal kunai knife. He grasped it, and tossed the blade, underhand, at Adam's face. The red haired man dodged to the side, and was soon put on the defensive, as Madara began to attack.

" _S-shit, who is this guy? What is this guy?!_ " he asked himself, struggling to keep up with the younger boy's movements. Madara swung upwards, letting go of the sword and re-grabbing it in a reverse grip, trying to stab the man. Adam dodged, but the tip of the silver blade had managed to draw a small amount of blood from his leg as he jumped back.

"Rrg," Adam grunted, holding the fresh wound. "How dare you!" he screamed like a wounded dog. "You human scum. This is just the kind of monster I always knew you were."

Madara raised an eyebrow as he slowly approached his adversary.

"This is all your fault!" he shouted again, "the White Fang fights for peace, and all we got in return was blood, our blood." he huffed, keeping his mask-covered eyes on the boy.

"...Peace?" Madara finally spoke, in a sarcastic, yet surprised tone. "I've done some research on your organization. Your efforts for 'peace' are pathetic; no more than hollow shells of what they once were. You're no more than a fool."

"W-" Adam began, but fell silent, lowering his head and chuckling. There was one thing the boy standing above him didn't seem to pay any attention to. " _Blake, he's open, hurry it up and kill him already!_ " he told himself, as if thinking he was telepathic.

It was true, that Blake was standing only a few meters behind the two men, and it was also true that her katana was drawn. However, Madara already knew she was still present, and Blake had no intention of doing so.

"Blake?" he asked, confused as to why she stood idly by and watched, clearly without an intention to aid him.

Blake stood on the edge of the next platform, looking down at the coupling line that connected that half of the train and their half. "This is goodbye," she said in a dull tone, before cutting the line with a single swing. The two halves of the train separated, as the two boys were left behind.

"Blake!" Adam exclaimed, reaching out for heras the distance between them grew more and more.

"So, she leaves…" Madara muttered, "it won't be long before the authorities arrive here." Madara warned Adam, before turning away from him and towards the departing girl.

"This is where we will part ways. Shunshin no Jutsu" Madara said, and suddenly, his body seemed to vanish from Adam's view, leaving behind only a swirl of red leaves in his place.

 **Train Front Half**

The girl in black and white sighed heavily, as if a heavy weight had been lifted off of her shoulders. "Goodbye, White Fang," she said aloud, and yet to no one in particular.

Unfortunately, unbeknownst to her, there was still a functioning security droid onboard the cargo train. Silently, the last remaining Atlesian Knight-130 lifted its arms, converting the hands into two revolving firearms, and aimed for Blake's head and back.

"T-t-Target… ac-quired." it stuttered, damaged from the earlier battle. It would have caught Blake off guard, and considering her aura was mostly depleted from the battle against the spider droid, the bullets would have caused serious damage to her, and maybe even kill her. However, it never got the chance to, as its head was ripped off of its body, and fell to the floor.

Upon hearing the sound of the android's head hitting the floor, Blake quickly turned around to see what had defeated it. Of course, her savior was none other than the man she left her former partner with.

Madara stared at her with his Sharingan, but only briefly, as his eyes reverted from red to black as he approached her. The closer he came, the more cautious she became. After seeing how he practically toyed with Adam, superior to her in combat, she was understandably intimidated. What confused her, was that he was not holding his sword. In fact, his hands were by his sides, and he looked as if he was walking down a sidewalk.

"Calm down, I'm not going to fight you." Madara told her with a serious tone, his motionless eyes and consistent heartbeat, lent credence to his words.

Blake stared silently at the boy for a full minute, and finally calmed down. Now, she had the chance to properly examine the boy, as he stood in front of her. They were the same age, sixteen years old, but she saw for herself the difference between them. He fought like a professional huntsman, surpassing anyone Blake had encountered up until now. More importantly, his eyes were red like the flora around them, but now were jet black.

"Weren't your eyes red less than a minute ago?" she asked intrigued by this small mystery.

"Hm, you could call it my semblance," Madara suggested, hiding their true nature for obvious reasons.

"Well, I guess I should say thanks, for separating Adam and I." she thanked, unsure of what else to say.

"Do not thank me… I have a question for you." he told her, inhaling briefly before exhaling. "Why did you do it? Why become part of a terrorist organization only to desert?"

"Terrorist? The White Fang are not Terrorists!" Blake protested, "sure, we did some violent things, but we've only ever fought for equality. That's been the one and only goal." from the look in her eyes, Madara could tell that she was telling the truth. Or at the least, she believed in the truth of her words.

Madara blinked once, before turning himself to the side. "Well, it doesn't matter now, I suppose." he said, putting his hands in his pockets. "You've deserted, so what will you do now?"

"I… I'm not sure," Blake said, scratching the back of her head. "I was thinking about finding a way to the Beacon entrance exams."

"Beacon Academy, huh?" He repeated, a small smile growing on his face. "I see, very well then, goodbye."

"Wait!" Blake exclaimed, grabbing Madara's arm before he could leave her. "Who are you?"

"It doesn't matter, for now at least."

"It _does_ matter. You helped me out, and just saved my life from being gunned down, so I want to at least know your name. I'm Blake." she introduced herself.

Madara glanced at her, but quickly looked away once more. "...if you insist. My name is Madara Uchiha, there is nothing more you need to know of me. This is goodbye, for now, good luck, black cat." he said, " _I've been gone long enough. Any more and they will probably start to worry…_ " he grinned to himself, and despite Blake still holding onto him, just as he had before, Madara vanished into thin air as if he teleported, leaving behind another swirl of red leaves, and leaving Blake alone once more.

"Did he just…" Blake said, stunned by his last comment. " _Madara Uchiha, what has he done to be that strong?_ " Blake asked herself, standing alone and left to wander in her thoughts. " _With that much skill… maybe he could help me…_ _I should try to find him again, but becoming a huntress comes first_ " she decided.

The remaining half of the train Blake stood on went past a large sign, that read "Beacon Academy Applications, enroll now!" with a large arrow pointing forward. She knew that the entrance exams consisted of a fitness and combat test, which she was certain were going to be no trouble. She was going to ride the train until it reached its destination, her destination.

 **Two days later, Xiao Long-Rose Family Home**

There were three knocks on the front door, which were followed by Zwei's excited barking.

"Coming~!" Ruby said as she ran to open the door. The moved it slightly, peaking at the person on the other side, before swinging it open in excitement. "Madara, you're back!" she exclaimed, throwing her arms around the boy.

"Hello, Ruby," he replied.

"Well you're late," Yang complained, appearing in the doorway. "Did you forget you're coming with me to to the Beacon Entrance Exams?"

"But… Yang… you were just telling me about how you were going t-" Ruby tried to correct her older sister, before her mouth for covered by the older sister's hand.

"Shush!" Yang ordered, before taking Madara's arm, pulling him out of the house and towards the shed. "We're going now," she declared, and Madara acquiesced. He had rested enough on his return, supervising a single girl he had known for years was nothing compared to what he had done at much younger ages in the past, right?

 **END**


	5. Chapter 5

**Shattering- oh, I see now. Well, I see what you mean. Well, here was my thought process; Madara's in a very different world compared to his, with different mechanics. On top of that, I don't think he'd be the time to leave without reason or a purpose.**

 **Guest & Dandyr0403 & Adislt- I'm still unsure of how I'll handle non-canon romance (if I even do to begin with) so at the moment, I **_**can**_ **say there's no** _ **plan**_ **for harems, sorry. Additionally, I'm not 100% sure whether he'll be on a team or not. Atm, I'm planning for him not to, I don't really have any OCs to make into a team.**

 **The Baz- *nervously* heheheh… funny you should mention something like that…**

Chapter 5

"Thanks for taking me to the dust shop, Madara!" Ruby said as the two black haired teenagers walked down the sidewalk. "Sorry I made you go so late though, it's already dark out."

"Hn, we need things from the same store, that's all there is to it, no need for thanks." he replied dismissively. "I need dust, and you want a newspaper for your scythe."

"First off, they're weapons magazines and they can give me tips on making my scythe even better; secondly, her name, is Crescent Rose." Ruby corrected with a somewhat serious tone. "Everyone always says 'it's just a scythe', but she's special, I made her from scrap metal with my own to hands!" she declared proudly.

Madara chuckled, remembering his time using a scythe long ago. "Well, if you call my Chokuto 'scrap metal', then yes." he quipped, causing Ruby to fall from her proverbial pedestal.

At Signal Academy, all students are required to forge their own weapons, be it from using pre-assembled components, or from scratch, like Ruby did. It was done this way so that the students could create and cultivate their own unique fighting styles with whatever weapon they saw fit. Some created spears that transformed into sniper rifles, some created hammers that transformed into shotguns, and some created wrist mounted knives that fired pistol bullets. Though, whatever the form, there was a consistently shared trait: the weapon was always a combination between a short ranged and long ranged weapon in order to fight from any distance. Ruby, inspired by her uncle, created a large red scythe that doubled as a high caliber sniper rifle. Unfortunately, none of the metals in the school's resources were able to satisfy her needs for the blade. As such, Madara had volunteered his straight sword and the unique properties of its metal. Thanks to its infusion with chakra, the sword was sharper and more durable than almost any other.

"Right… sorry," Ruby's mood suddenly flipped from proud to melancholic, before Madara laughed again.

"It's alright. I was the one who offered. Besides, today, I will no longer be unarmed."

"...S-so that's what you meant!" Ruby only then realized. "You're buying dust and stuff to make a new weapon!" her frown instantly changed to a smile, her silver eyes almost exuding blinding lights. "What're you gonna make? A new sword? Shotgun gauntlets like Yang? A spear machine gun? Rocket hammer?"

"Hn, you'll just have to wait and see, Ruby." he smirked, causing her to pout.

The two finally arrived at a small dust shop, the words "From Dust Till Dawn" written in red letters lined the front of the store. To the left and right of the wooden entrance door, were two large glass windows, revealing the many different items inside, from large tubes of powdered dust, to magazine racks.

Madara and Ruby entered, and were greeted with a "welcome" by an old man standing at the cashier. He seemed to be the only employee - impressive for someone of his age.

"Just tap me when you're done, okay?" Ruby said to her friend, putting on her headphones and making her way to the far right corner of the store. Madara, on the other hand, quietly walked to old man in front of him.

"What can I do for you?" the shopkeeper asked.

"How many types of dust do you have here?"

"Well, any type a person could need, really." he answered, before holding out a pamphlet. Said small booklet, happened to have a white snowflake symbol on the front cover. "There's fire, water, earth, air, electricity, ice, lava, and light.

"I see, I'll take a fire and an air crystal," he Madara replied, and the old man nodded, crouching down and grabbing two crystals from the display case under the counter. In exchange for the red and white dust crystals, Madara handed over a red colored card as payment.

" _And that's all I'll be needing,_ " he thought, taking the crystals from the shopkeeper and pocketting them. " _It's a shame, the metals here cannot be infused with chakra, I must rely on these crystals. On top of that, I'll have to use a trigger to utilize the dust. Though, it also saves me from using any more chakra than I have to,_ " he thought with a frown. He turned his head to the left left, examining the large tubes of dust powder, before looking right and spotting Ruby, absorbed in a weapons magazine.

"Does this shop have any geography maps, preferably of the entire planet?" he asked the shopkeeper.

"Uh…" the old man paused, "I'm not sure, people don't often come here for things like that. I'd suggest Tukson's bookstore - he's a neighbor. But if I had to say, there may be some in the back of the store to the left," he said, pointing behind him to the far left corner.

As Madara walked to the corner, the front door opened behind him with a loud thud. The door slammed against the inner wall. There were multiple simultaneous footsteps, signifying multiple people had entered. Then suddenly, the footsteps stopped.

"Do you have any idea how hard it is to find a dust shop open this late?" a man said to the shopkeeper, followed by a click and a low humming sound.

"P-please! Just take my lien and leave!" the old man begged,

" _A robbery?_ " Madara thought, glancing over his shoulder. There were four or five men in black suits, red ties and red sunglasses. In front of them, most likely the leader of this group, had long orange hair down to his chin, covering one of his green eyes. He wore a gray hat and unlike his colleagues, he had a white buttoned coat over a gray shirt, instead of black.

"Shhh" the man interrupted. "Calm down, we're not here for your money," he explained, before looking to his henchmen. "Grab the dust," he commanded, lifting a case onto the countertop and opening it, revealing ten cylindrical capsules..

Two of the men took a capsule each, and walked to the tubes of dust on the left, draining them out. One demanded a fire crystal, which the shopkeeper handed.

" _I should step in,_ " Madara hesitated, " _but causing a scene here could result in trouble for me. I'll wait until they leave_." he decided, continuing on his way to the back of the store.

Suddenly, there was a sharp ringing sound, and then Madara heard one of the men say, "alright kid, put your hands where I can see 'em." Madara turned fully to the right, and saw the henchmen pointing a red sword at Ruby, who was too absorbed in the magazine she was reading to notice. The man stared at her, not being able to see the headphones below her red hood, and then came closer.

"Hey, I said hands in the air." still receiving no response and growing frustrated, the henchman grabbed her shoulder and spun her around. "Hey, you got a deathwish or something?" he asked as her hood fell. Ruby looked back at him with a confused "huh?" leaking out of her mouth.

The man pointed to his ear with his free hand, telling her to remove her headphones and listen to him.

"Yes?" Ruby asked.

"I said, put your hands in the air, now!" he all but shouted.

"Are you… robbing me?" Ruby asked again, her pitch rising in curiosity.

"Yes!" he finally exclaimed, and in return, Ruby simply replied with "oh."

" _I almost pity the fool,_ " Madara thought, crossing his arms and watching silently as Ruby threw her attacker into a stack of cans at the front of the store. " _So, it begins_."

"Freeze!" another henchman demanded, pointing his gun at Ruby. However, before he could shoot at her, he was recieved a heavy blow to the side of his head, knocking him out instantly. Madara had decided to join the fray.

"Thanks for the help!" Ruby said, running past Madara and towards the remaining three criminals.

"W-when did that kid get here?!" the orange haired man said, backing up to the still-open door. "Well, get them." he commanded, running out of the store with the case of dust capsules,

The three men in black and red did as they were told, and charged at Ruby and Madara with their red swords.

"Go after the head, I'll end this quickly." Madara told Ruby, activating his Sharingan as she ran ahead, past the three.

Before any of them could react, or choose which person to attack, two were already brought down with a punch to their stomachs, taking out all of the air within them. The third swung his sword, but Madara dodged. A mere five centimeters between their faces, the man made the fatal mistake of looking the Uchiha directly in the eyes. Without a word out of either of them, the man fell to the floor, completely unconscious.

"Now," Madara said, patting his sides to make sure he still had his crystals, "I can't keep her waiting too long,"

 **Rooftop**

Using her scythe, Ruby had dealt with three other henchmen that somehow escaped with the orange haired man, and already cornered him by the time Madara had arrived.

"Persistent…" the man cursed under his breath, as a humming sound grew louder and louder.

" _That sound, an airship?_ "

As if on cue, a large twin engine VTOL airship had risen from behind the other side of the building, hovering in place as it shined a bright light down on Ruby and Madara. Using the blinding light as his cover, the orange haired man lept into the opened door on the side, entering his escape vehicle.

"End of the line, kids!" he shouted, turning to the two and tossing the red dust crystal at their feet. He then drew a weapon of his own, a pimp cane, pointing the end to them and pulling a trigger, firing a dust round at the crystal.

"Ruby, get back!" Madara commanded, jumping back before the round could hit its target.

The explosion caused by the round colliding with the concentrated dust held in the crystal would have been massive, big enough to engulf them. Luckily, the two found themselves completely unscathed, not a single burn mark on their bodies. Even the criminal was shocked, unable to see what saved the two.

Standing in front of Ruby, who was bracing herself, was a blonde haired woman dressed in black and white, and wearing what appeared to be a torn purple cape. She held a wand in her hand, and in front of her was a large runic circle, a shield of some sort. She grunted, before adjusting her glasses and swinging her wand at the ship.

The door slammed shut as a dozen purple beams, fluid like water, flew into and struck the ship, causing it to shake and lose balance. The woman's assault was not finished however, as using her wand once again, a purple light shot into the air, summoning the fury of a stormcloud. Countless shards of ice began to fall, bombarding the ship and piercing through its armor.

"A huntress," Madara named, acknowledging her speed and abilities as that of a professional. " _Her weapon? No, her semblance is similar, very similar, to a practitioner of storm release. Impressive,_ " Madara thought, smirking in amusement as he watched her attack.

It was then, that the side door re-opened, and unlike before, a woman in a short red dress stood to face them. The shade created from the roof of their airship covered her face, but her fiery glowing eyes were visible. The sleeves on her arms glowed hot orange as she launched her own attack. She fired a fireball at the blonde woman, who blocked with another, albeit smaller, purple runic shield.

Ruby took out her Crescent Rose, in sniper mode, and unloaded a magazine of high caliber rounds. Unfortunately, the woman was able to block every bullet with her bare hands.

" _It's my turn,_ " Madara thought, stepping forward and in front of the huntress. "Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu!" Madara launched his own fire-based attack, in the form of a much larger fireball, 2.5 meters in diameter. The woman in red stepped back in surprise, but quickly returned in kind, with a fireball of equal size. The two massive spheres merged with one another in between the two parties, ending with a massive explosion that required another shield from the huntress to protect them. The woman in red, however, clutched her right arm, as if she was hurt by the explosion. The ship was thrown back a significant distance, before the door closed for the last time, as the engines grew louder, and in the blink of an eye, they were gone, leaving the three standing on the roof.

"Damn, they escaped," Madara lamented, deactivating his sharingan and relaxing his muscles. " _That woman managed to keep her face hidden, strange… I have a feeling I will encounter her again._ " he thought with a frown forming on his face.

Collapsing her sniper rifle back into its compact form Ruby turned her head to the blonde beside her. "You're a huntress." She said, before subsequently raising her voice's pitch three fold. "Can I have your autograph?!" she begged. Madara facepalmed.

 **Police Interrogation Room**

Despite, or rather because of, their vigilantism, Ruby and Madara did not get off the hook just because they stopped a few of the criminals, especially considering they were neither police, nor huntsmen. As such, the _actual_ huntress, for some reason, decided to bring them to a dark room, with a single light shining over them as they sat in front of a desk.

"I hope you realize that your actions tonight will not be taken lightly," she scolded, circling around the two as she spoke. "The both of you put yourselves, and others, in great danger."

"They started it!" Ruby protested,  
"And we subdued multiple thugs, who won't be causing any more trouble." Madara added, his arms and legs crossed. "It's not our fault that they chose to steal from a store the two of us were in, and then tried to harm us."

"Maybe so, however, there are more ways to solve these kinds of issues without resorting to violence…" she stopped her pacing, and sighed. "Normally, you'd both be sent home with a warning, but, there's someone who'd like to meet you." and with that, the stern huntress moved to the side, as from a door directly in front of them opened, and a man walked in.

His hair was pure gray, and he had a small pair of sunglasses in front of his eyes. He wore an unzipped black coat, over what looked like a green green vest underneath. He gave off the impression of someone higher in power than the huntress beside him. That said, he was holding a coffee mug in one hand, and a plate of cookies in the other.

"Ruby Rose," He spoke in a calm tone, sitting down in a chair adjacent to the two. "And Madara Uchiha," there was a twitch in his eye, as if he just noticed something weird, or peculiar that he hadn't noticed before. "You… have silver eyes," he commented, leaning in closer to Ruby.

" _So he knows something about silver eyes as well?_ " Madara noted. " _All this time, and I've never been able to obtain information on them. Perhaps he can enlighten me._ " he mused, remaining ever so silent.

"So, where did the two of you learn to fight like this?" the man asked, displaying video footage of their night, particularly Ruby with her scythe, and Madara launching the large fire attack with no visible dust on hand.

"S-signal academy." Ruby answered, confused as to how the video footage was recorded, and slightly embarrassed.

"They taught you, to use one of the most dangerous weapons ever designed?" the man asked, skeptical.

"Well, one teacher in particular… and a little help from him," Ruby lifted a finger, pointing to Madara. Contrary to what one may think at first glance, he's had a fair amount of years handling a scythe in his lifetime, and though teaching Ruby in a different way was, well, different, he was not one to back down from a challenge.

"I see," the man glanced at Madara, who remained silent in the chair he sat in. "it's just that I've only seen one other scythe wielder of that skill before; a dusty old crow." upon hearing his remark. Ruby almost jumped at the name "crow".

"Oh, that's our uncle Qrow. He's a teacher at Signal. I was complete garbage before he took me under his wing. Now, I'm all like, hoooowaaah~ witchaaaa~ houuuu~" she trailed on, much like a child describing a scene in an action movie.

"So I've noticed… and what is an adorable girl such as yourself doing at a school designed to train warriors?"

"Well…" Ruby's tone shifted to serious, as she looked the man in the eyes. "I want to be a huntress."

"You want to slay monsters? And what about you, young man?" he asked Madara, and Madara finally spoke.

"I don't attend Signal academy. It would be unproductive of my time to do so. Though, the amount of materials I have access to is appreciated." Madara explained in a flat tone.

"I would assume, however, in all my years, i've never heard of a person creating such an elemental attack without the use of dust, much less a child."

Madara gave a short chuckle at his declaration. "With all due respect, that is surely not the strangest, nor most exotic thing you've seen in your life." he said, raising an eyebrow to his senior.

"Indeed… now, let me ask the both of you, do you know who I am?" he asked, and Ruby raised her hand.

"You're Professor Ozpin. You're the headmaster of Beacon."

Ozpin gave a small smile of approval, confirming Ruby's claim. Beacon Academy was one of the four main schools that trained Huntsmen and Huntresses, sitting within the kingdom of Vale, it was famous for producing some of the best, and most disciplined warriors in the world. Countless applicants attempted to enter Beacon every year, only to be met with a harsh entrance exam, requiring superb speed, strength, agility, and combat intelligence. For someone to be met personally by the headmaster of such a prestigious academy, was rare, to say the least.

"Ruby Rose, and Madara Uchiha, normally, I would have you go through the exams like all students. However, I believe you've displayed your skills plentifully enough." he continued. "How would you like to attend Beacon Academy?"

"W-w-what?!" Ruby exclaimed, almost jumping out of her own chair, before quickly calming down. "I, I mean, I'd love to, but I still have two years at Signal."

"You don't have to worry about that." Ozpin dismissed with a raised palm. "I _am_ the headmaster after all, and while I don't break the rules I myself created, I'm willing to… bend them… if I find the need to. I believe this is one of those occasions. So, would you like to?" he offered once again.

Their answers were clear; neither of them needed a minute to contemplate this decision. Though, for slightly different reasons, their goals were the same, to become huntsmen.

"Yes" they both replied, before shaking the extended hand of the headmaster.

 **END**


	6. Chapter 6

**Boi 2.0- ask and you shall receive. Also I'd advise you to look in the list of chapters, there's a 5th one :3**

 **The Baz- no he used a sword when he was younger. Back in the warring states and Izuna was alive, he had a sword.**

 **Oh yeah, before we start, one of my beta readers actually does their own fics on this site. Their name is "Redler Red7". They do their own stories of RWBY, Madoka Magica, and some others. Anyways, let's begin.**

Chapter 6

 **Principal's Office**

Within the small, circular room, accessible only through elevator, were but two people, a chair, and a desk.

"Ozpin, I'd like to know something." the blonde huntress asked Ozpin, who sipped from his coffee mug as he sat in his desk.

"Why I chose to invite the two to my school?" Ozpin deduced, raising an eyebrow, and the woman nodded. "Well, Glynda, I thought it'd be good to have a few more students around, especially if they're qualified. I mean, Ms. Rose was clearly eager to attend, and skill at those young of ages are always appreciated."

"I understand that, but that boy, Mr. Uchiha, is peculiar. Despite contacting his guardian, I couldn't find any information about him." Glynda explained, with a suspicious look on her face. "I'm still skeptical about him."

"Everyone has secrets, things they'd like to keep hidden from others no matter how close. Whatever the case, if it is important, then I'm sure we will find out when the time comes. For now, we should be going. We have an assembly to be at." Ozpin declared, standing up and out of his chair.

"Yes sir," she replied, and the two walked to the elevator door.

 **Beacon Sky Harbor**

Large metal passenger airships, parked at the docking bay, opening their doors and releasing several dozens of young boys and girls to their new school and home for the next four years. Among those newcomers, included Yang Xiao Long, Ruby Rose, and Madara Uchiha. Though, most notably, was a blonde haired boy with blue jeans, a black hoodie, and a white chestplate running out top speed to throw up in the nearest trash can.

"Wowww~" the two sisters said in unison, their jaws hanging open as they stared at the entrance to the academy.

Beacon academy, much less of a school, and more akin to a fortress or castle in appearance. The main walkway that lead to the front door was massive in and of itself, spanning at least five meters in width, and a hundred in length. Light poles lined the sides, as well as a line of linked pillars on each side. The school building itself had multiple large sections. To the left, was a lighthouse, and in the center, towering over and dwarfing any of the other structures, was Beacon Tower, which was also used for cross continental communications.

"The view from Vale's got nothing on this," Yang commented, impressed more so than she was before, with an aerial view. Meanwhile, Ruby began squealing over excitement, almost drooling as she stared at all of the non-concealed weapons the other students held. However, before he or Yang could say anything, Madara felt an inexplicable chill run down his back.

"Hm? What's wrong, Madara?" Yang asked, holding her younger sister by the hood and keeping her from wandering like a child.

"...I don't know… it's nothing." he quickly told the two, narrowing his eyes. "I have a feeling that a storm is coming." he muttered, a rarely-heard sense of concern in his voice.

"Really, well, I'll be steering clear of that, see you guys at the ceremony!" Yang exclaimed, before disappearing in a crowd of other students, leaving the two antisocial-members of the family alone.

"Did she just-" Ruby asked blankly, staring into space before being cut off.

"She did." Madara answered, deadpanning.

"W-well, no use in sitting around right?" Ruby said, trying to perk back up. "Let's get going before w-yaaah!" as she started to walk, she suddenly lost balance, and subsequently kicked a white briefcase into the air. Madara acted quick, catching the girl as well as the case in each of his hands.

"Hm, _heavier than I expected_ ," he made a note of, but whether he was talking about Ruby or the bag, was anybody's guest.

Following the short show, was another girl's shocked gasp. Both of the black haired teenagers turned their heads, to see _white_. Nearly everything about the girl that stood in front of her could be described with the one word. Her dress, heels, and hair were all white as snow. Her skin was pale, and her eyes were a bright blue.

Madara placed the case, as well as Ruby, back onto the floor, upright, before facing the girl. "I assume these are yours?" he asked, pointing to the many other white luggage cases behind.

"Yes, they are, and what were you two doing with them?!" the girl demanded.

"S-sorry…" Ruby apologized, glancing away from the girl's blue eyes. "It was an accident. I-I swear."

The girl in white walked past the two, opening the briefcase and examining the, still intact, contents. She breathed a sigh of relief, before calming down. "Well, it looks like you _did_ save my things from breaking, so I'll forgive you," she told the two, before closing the briefcase.

Hoping to break the awkward silence that soon followed, Ruby spoke up. "Uhhh hey! You're a new student too right?"

"Of course, why else would I bring so much with me here? Do I look like anything else?' she asked rhetorically, placing her arms against her sides.

"W-well, you uh… I don't really know how to say this, but you kinda look like a princess… with the dress and high heels," Ruby explained sheepishly, with a grunt of agreement from Madara. "But I don't mean it in a bad way! I mean, it looks good, I mean you look good, uh…" she quickly began spiralling.

"Well, you're half right." the girl stopped Ruby's near meltdown. "I'm Weiss Schnee, heir to the Schnee Dust Company. One of _the_ largest producers and exporters of Dust in the world," she declared, pushing out her chest with pride. Though, her proud announcement was practically murdered with Ruby's very simplistic "Wow, you're really rich." remark.

"W-well, it's nice to meet you, Weiss. My name's Ruby Rose!" Ruby greeted with a smile, extending a hand to the heiress, and although hesitantly, she reciprocated.

"Alright… Ruby…" Weiss replied, before narrowing her eyes on her junior. "Are you… old enough to be here?" she asked, genuine curiosity in her voice instead of the previously expected hostility.

"Well, no not really, I should still be in training school. I got moved up a couple of years, so I'm a student here just like you." she replied with another smile, as well as a slight blush.

"Really?" Weiss grew her own smile, interested and intrigued by Ruby's presence. "I wonder why that is,"

"You shall see during the initiation, I hope." Madara interjected, "I'm sure you'll be impressed."

"I hope so…" She paused, her face frozen, as if trying to give him a name. Luckily for the girl in white, he understood, and gave his name. 

"Madara Uchiha, pleased to meet you," he greeted with a smile on his face. However, before any more conversation could be held, a bell rung loud, calling for all students still lingering outside of the auditorium.

 **Beacon Auditorium**

The auditorium could be described in one word: massive. Of course, it had to be as its purpose was to house every first year student, albeit for a short amount of time. The interior was mostly gray and black, with some brown designs and markings along the walls, as well as largue light blue gems for decoration. There was no roof, allowing view of the cloudless sky above. There were at least a hundred students all bundled together. As such, Madara decided to take the opportunity to evaluate them. Luckily, Madara was one of the greatest sensory-type shinobi to have ever lived, so he needed not to reveal his Sharingan just yet.

" _Hm, mostly fodder, some with decent potential,_ " he thought as he scanned the room. Unfortunately, most of the soon-to-be students had fallen below expectations - to his disappointment. Most of them would be hard pressed to defeat most chunin and even some genin. However, also as he described, there were a few among the crowd with skills leaps and bounds above the rest. " _That girl with red hair… I sense impressive skill and powers within her._ " he thought, looking at said redhead with interest.

"Ruby, Madara, over here!" both Ruby and Madara heard Yang, calling for them while waving her hands in the air, acting as a beacon for them. "I saved you guys a spot!" she exclaimed.

The three walked through the crowd, and reunited with the blonde girl. Much to Yang's genuine surprise, her two anti-social siblings had come with another person. It was as if her eyes were sparkling, as she grew a wide smile, and wrapped her arms around the two's waists, congratulating them and startling Weiss.

"I'm so proud of you two!" she exclaimed happily. "You did it! You made a friend!"

"Prrz shtop" Ruby begged, tapping her sister's invisible release trigger. "Guh, that's the second time today!" she shouted, causing her older sister, Madara, and Weiss to chuckle.

The crowd calmed, and the noise died down, as it was time for the assembly to finally begin. Everyone in the room looked in the same direction, where Ozpin and Glynda stood on a stage, 60 centimeters above their floor. In front of him, was a microphone. With the room silent, the gray haired man cleared his throat, and began.

"Ahem… I'll… keep this brief." he started, adjusting his small glasses. "You have travelled here to day in search of knowledge. To hone your craft and acquire new skills, and when you have finished, you plan to dedicate your life to the protection of the people. But I look amongst you, and all I see is wasted energy, in need of purpose, direction."

" _Where is this supposed to be going? It's clearly not meant to raise morale…_ " Madara thought, crossing his arms expectantly.

"You assume that knowledge will free you of this, but your time at this school will prove that knowledge can only carry you so far… it is up to you to take the first step." and without another world, the headmaster turned and walked away, slowly, smoothly, almost robotically. It was then, that Glynda stepped forward, to part her own words.

"You will gather in the ballroom tonight. Tomorrow, your initiation begins, be ready. You are dismissed." she said with a stern tone.

"Wow, he sounded pretty out of it. It's like he wasn't even there." Yang said, taken back. "You all heard the lady, let's get going."

"...go on ahead without me." Madara said to the three. "I'll join you later." and with that, he disappeared, leaving Weiss speechless, with her jaw on the floor.

"H-he just teleported?! How did he do that?!" Weiss asked, her blue eyes widened with shock.

"He does that sometimes. He says it's part of his semblance. It's actually not teleportation. He's just moving super fast, like I do." she explained proudly. And so, the three girls left the room, and headed for the ballroom as Glynda instructed.

 **Hallway**

" _There's something he's hiding_ ," Madara thought, finally alone and away from the crowd.." _there's something he's keeping stored, concealed here… above? no, under? Or is he the secret? I need more information. It is likely only he can give me information._ " he thought, clenching his hands in frustration. " _Yet, he and that feeling from earlier were different. Something else will be coming…_ "

He was not alone for long, as upon reaching his bittersweet conclusion, there was a semi-familiar voice coming from behind him.

"Madara?!" it was a girl, a surprised one, belonging to a person he had crossed paths with not too long ago. Madara turned his head, and saw the girl with the black bow.

"Blake?" he said, "that's right, you were planning to attend this school." he remembered, smiling.

"Y-yeah, but, what're you doing here?" she asked, carrying worry in her voice.

"I too am a student here. At least _now_ , I am." he declared, putting his hands in his pockets.

"I see…" Blake allowed a small smile to appear on her face. It soon faded as she shook her head and continued, narrowing her eyes once more. "Hey, last time we saw each other, you called me…" before continuing, the black haired girl nervously scanned their surroundings, confirming that they were alone. "You called me 'black cat'. Listen, I need you to keep it a secret. Please don't tell anyone about my… past, either, okay?"

There was a brief silence, as the two looked at one another, before Madara nodded. "Nobody will know," he promised, his honesty obvious.

"T-thanks," Blake said, sounding relieved. "I guess we should go to the ballroom. Would you like to join me?"

"...very well." he said, first using his scroll to notify Ruby and Yang that he wouldn't be joining them until late. And so, as the sun began to fall, the two teenagers with secret pasts walked away alongside one another, to the ballroom.

 **END**


	7. Chapter 7

**so right before we get to the Q &A, I'd like to say something rq. sorry if this and the last chapter or two feel just like a re-tread of the show. I thought it would be important to keep this mini-arc since it's integral for the characters meeting one another, and becoming huntsmen and huntresses. once we're out of this, I have some ideas to implement. I'll be keeping certain elements from the show to be used, but also altered. I won't say which parts though. Now, let's move on to the Q&A**

 **Blankdead- Well, you'll have to wait and see I guess.**

 **Dandyrr0403- *super mega professional voice mode* Please refer to the response directly above, thank you.**

 **The Observer & Kinda Lame- yeah, I kinda did a dumb with the scaling, but I guess you, and anyone else who question my choice, I'll give my reasoning. keep in mind, this was my take/interpretation of how things would go. if our opinions differ, I respect that. **

**1\. Madara vs Beowolves: yes, he was essentially defeated, but keep in mind that approximately a minute before, he was nearly all-powerful, and didn't even realize his lack of powers until he was hit. note that he tried using his rinnegan, which left him open when it failed.**

 **2\. Madara vs Summer: now this is a bit harder to believe, even for me, so plz bear with me. I figured that in a different world, they'd employ different fighting styles. Huntsmen and Huntresses are trained mostly to fight against Grimm, and while they have pvp sparring, it's not a main point as far as I've seen. Madara had a lot of experience in combat of course, but at the same time, I'm sure that even he would need a bit of time observing attacks to get a full read. as far as the argument of "Madara as a kid killed trained shinobi during the warring states" yes, that is true, but keep in mind in this battle, he wasn't fighting to kill and neither was she. (also keep in mind, I wrote that Summer was holding back, I never said he didn't hold back either. he used one jutsu one time for one purpose.) that's not to mention the psychological part of combat, but that doesn't matter as much.**

 **As always, thank you all so much for following, favoriting, and of course, reviewing. It's good to see that people have taken time to reading this story, short as the chapters may be, and I like to see you all enjoy. With that, let's continue.**

Chapter 7

 **Emerald Forest**

Given Beacon Academy's _unique_ school system, one would be foolish not to expect the initiation to be of the unorthodox type. That being said, twenty students launched from a cliffside hundreds of feet into the air, without any support, and being expected to survive the landing into a forest another hundred, or so, feet below the cliffside, and then locate an undescribed "relic" with the first person they each made eye contact with as their four year-long partner, was still stretching the imagination considerably far.

Luckily, such a thing was little more than childsplay for the, soon to be, students of Beacon. They had all been trained extensively in adaptability and maneuverability through the use of their weapons, whether it was using their weapons in conjunction with their semblances, or using them for propulsion. Ruby used her scythe to catch trees and swing from them, Weiss used her glyphs, etc. Ruby was one of the last to touchdown, and as such, was less likely to find another student to form partners with.

" _Gotta find someone, gotta find someone!_ " she thought, collapsing her weapon and immediately using her semblance to dash through the trees. " _Yang is probably still in the air, and far from me… Madara's who knows where… what about Weiss? Then again, I think she sees me more like a kid._ " Ruby mused, picking up speed as she ran, as well as slicing through a stray grimm that stood in her way.

Ruby soon came to a full stop, as standing before her, was a large pack of Beowolves. There were at least fifty of them, although luckily, they didn't seem to notice her yet. There was something else holding their attention. She squinted to see whatever was at the epicenter that had the creatures so intrigued. Her silver eyes soon widened when the answer revealed itself. In the middle of the mass of black, was an unmistakable spot of pure white.

Weiss stayed in place, with her rapier pointed outwards. Her lack of sudden movements and unknown combat style were the only things keeping the pack from rushing her.

" _She needs help!_ " Ruby mentally exclaimed, transforming her weapon into sniper-mode and taking aim.

One of the younger and smaller of the Beowolves, with a weaker understanding of the pack's behavior, saw no reason to resist its urge to kill, and attacked Weiss. The girl in which raised her rapier, but before the creature of grimm could do any damage, there was gunshot, and its head had suddenly disappeared. All of the Beowolves, and even Weiss, turned to where the sound came from, which of course, was Ruby, who soon fired another shot and killed another.

One of the wolves howled, and a quarter of them switched targets. As they closed in, Ruby quickly changed her sniper to its scythe form, and she prepared for battle. The three in the front attacked at once, but Ruby ducked under, pointing her scythe backwards and pulling the trigger. A bullet flew out of the head of the scythe and propelled her forward, cutting through the three and moving her past another cluther. She fired another downwards, lifting her above the mass and beside her new partner.

"I didn't need help, you know!" Weiss protested, keeping her stance composed.

"Figure that out later, let's kill these first!" Ruby replied, cutting down another Beowolf.

"Hmph, fine," a small cylindrical canister spin within the hilt of Weiss' rapier, the the blade began to glow orange. She stabbed the blade into the ground, and a large ring of fire surrounded them, engulfing many of the attackers. The fire soon disappeared, and about eight remained.

"I-I'll take the rest," Ruby stuttered, frantically choosing her target and attacking.

She cut down another, and another, but in her mindless slashing, the third managed to dodge under, and swipe at her. Luckily, Ruby's aura protected her from serious harm, but she was knocked to the ground. She gasped as the grimm leapt above her, ready to continue its assault. Luckily, Weiss intercepted it, stabbing through its abdomen with her sword, using another dust technique to freeze the remainders in solid ice.

"There, I returned the favor." Weiss sighed, removing her sword from the now-evaporating Beowolf. "Honestly, did you really have have to jump in like that?" she asked, holstering her rapier.

"Well I… no, sorry." with no excuses, Ruby simply apologized, lower her head as she rose from the ground.

"Did you think you needed to prove me wrong or something?" Weiss continued to ask.

"N-no! I just… I wanted to show you that I wasn't a kid." she admitted.

"Well, you kinda did the opposite. That was really reckless, and if you jumped out any earlier, I would have accidentally set you on fire." Weiss scolded, though not with an irritated look on her face. "So from now on, if you're going to make a move, communicate it. We're partners now, so don't drag us both down."

Though she wasn't sure exactly why, Ruby felt a small sense of happiness. She was being scolded, no doubt, but at the least she was acknowledged. "It won't happen again, Weiss."

"It better not." Weiss replied, "now let's get to the temple and grab a relic."

 **Elsewhere**

Ruby and Weiss weren't the only ones to have an encounter with grimm, but unlike the two girls, Madara had yet to find a partner to pair with.

" _These creatures are rather underwhelming_ " Madara thought, disappointed as he walked through a mound of disintegrating black bodies. "Surely, with a warning like 'do not hesitate, or you will die' would yield more of a challenge. These creatures are no more difficult to kill than small animals-"

His sentence was soon cut off, when just ahead of him and from behind the trees, emerged an ursa. It wasn't a - run of the mill - ursa, however. To start with, it was an Ursa Major: at least twice the size of a normal ursa. Many parts of its body, including the upper and lower arms, knees, chest and back, were all covered in thick white bone armoring. At least two dozen fifty centimeter long white spines protruded from its back. On estimation, this particular grimm was at least a decade old.

"An ursa, and an old one at that…" Madara dropped to a defensive fighting stance. "This will be entertaining."

Given permission for the first strike, the Ursa rushed forward on all fours, raising its upper body once it was closer and swimped at the boy with the claws on its arm. Madara stepped back, avoiding the attack. It swiped again, vertically, but missed once more. It roarded in irritation, before backing away from Madara.

"So it's my turn now." madara thought, taking the offensive. He rushed the bear-like grimm, throwing a punch to the head hard enough to stagger it, and sweeping low, hitting one of the legs. With its underbelly, and by extension its weakest point, exposed, Madara leapt above it, throwing an explosive tag-kunai. The creature shrieked in pain, but was not out for the count, as it rolled back over and prepared to counter.

It rushed headfirst, trying to run down the black haired boy, but of course it failed, as he jumped over it. However, as he maneuvered behind the creature's back, the spines seemed to shiver. Madara activated his Sharingan just in time to see the quills moving. They moved out of the back, and flew towards Madara.

In a spur of the moment decision, Madara put his hands together and formed two hand signs. "Suiton: Suijinheki" he quickly shouted. Out of his mouth, a torrent of water flowed, forming a wall that deflected the spines.

" _Those spines act like porcupine quills…_ " Madara deduced. " _It must be able to shoot them voluntarily, the underbelly is the weakest point. I should aim to flip it over and finish it off._ " Madara thought. However, suddenly, the boy felt a sharp pain race through his eyes, causing him to flinch, and distance himself. The Ursa followed suit, sprinting at him and raising an arm when in range. Luckily, Madara had already prepared a countermeasure.

"Doton: Doryūheki" he said, and just below the Ursa's chin, a thin pillar of stone rose, catching the Ursa by surprise and throwing it back onto its back. " _perfect._ " Madara jumped to one of the high tree branches, and performed another set of hand signs. "Katon: Gōka Messhitsu"

Unlike the Gōkakyū no Jutsu, which summoned forth a large ball of flames that would explode on impact, the Gōka Messhitsu acted more as a flamethrower, as a stream of fire spewed out from Madara's mouth, engulfing the beast and devouring it. The Ursa roared and flailed, but in the end, it was helpless, and died. The fire soon became an aid in accelerating its evaporation.

Madara, victorious, exhaled lightly. " _It was formidable. If there are others like it, more powerful, I may have to use my weapon soon… What was that I felt?_ " he asked himself, holding a hand to his face. " _It was as like when I used my mangekyou before achieving the straight tomoe… perhaps…_ " Madara theorized, a new smirk growing wide on his face. " _I'll look into this later, for now, the relic takes priority_." he thought, before vanishing from sight.

 **Cave Entrance**

A girl, with pure red hair and green eyes sprinted out of the cave she and her partner just entered. The boy followed suit, but not by his own volition. The girl was running from something, that something just so happened to be a massive scorpion-based Grimm known as a Death Stalker. Where was her partner? Hanging from the creature's tail for dear life.

"Pyrrha! It's not the relic! It's not!" the blonde boy cried out, trying to not be flung off the stinger. "Help!"

"Jaune, whatever you do don't-" Pyrrha tried to warn her partner not to let go, but as if the Death Stalker knew what she was going to say, it wound its tail back and threw the boy into the air like a catapult, leaving her alone to deal with it.

With a nervous smile, Pyrrha angled her red and orange rifle, and fired three rounds at the head, but they were ineffective, thanks to the thick armor that almost completely covered the creature's body. The large grimm clicked, snapping its pincers which could snap a human in two, and pulled its tail back once more. Pyrrha held a palm up, struggling, as if she was trying to move the stinger with her mind. It worked temporarily, but the unexpected strength strained her to her limits. Pyrrha stepped back, prepared to run top speed. If the stinger fell upon her, it would have seriously injured her through sheer force, luckily, something came in between them.

The ground shook, and there was a loud roaring sound, but it was not that of an animal. The stinger thrusted forward, but it stopped mere centimeters from her face. Something stopped the tail from pushing forward however. In front of Pyrrha, holding the massive natural weapon in place, was what appeared to be a large wall made out of pure blue ice, the strongest and purest form of ice in the world. It trapped the creature, and based on its struggling movement, was strong enough to contain it.

"W-what?" Pyrrha said aloud, stunned by what she saw.

"That was close," a girl's voice said from behind her. Pyrrha turned around, and saw Weiss, along with Ruby, running to her aide.

"A-are you alright?" Ruby asked, holding a hand out to the still-stunned Pyrrha.

"Y...yes, I'm fine. Thank you." she answered, before taking Ruby's hand and standing up. "We should get away from here, before the Deathstalker can break free." Pyrrha suggested, and the two nodded.

As the three began walking, Weiss stared at Pyrrha for a second, and her eyes widened as she gasped. "...you're… Pyrrha Nikos!" Weiss exclaimed, pointing an index finger to the red haired girl. Though, her shocked expression shifted to slight disappointment. " _I could've gotten her as my partner… dang._ "

"That I am." Pyrrha chuckled, "who are you both, if I may ask?"

"My name's Ruby Rose!" Ruby quickly greeted with a smile, before pulling Weiss beside her "and this is my partner Weiss!"

"Hey! I can introduce myself!" Weiss snapped, trying to move away from Ruby.

Pyrrha chuckled, surprised by their _relationship_ , to say the least. "Well, it's nice to meet you, Ruby, Weiss… have either of you maybe seen a blonde boy nearby?"

"No, we heard a girl screaming so we came as fast as we could." Ruby answered, making Pyrrha giggle slightly. "Did your partner run off?"

"No, he… he was thrown away by the deathstalker, literally." Pyrrha said, which caused Ruby to cover her mouth, holding in her laughter. "I don't really know where he is now though. He was thrown somewhere directly north or here." Pyrrha pointed to the left of her, suggesting that that direction was north.

"Oh, then he's on the way to the temple." Ruby concluded with a smile. "Let's pick him up on the way… I wonder where he could have landed."

 **Abandoned Temple**

The abandoned temple was small, it was hard to believe that this was actually used in the past. Even more unbelievable, were the "relics". Atop numerous short pedestals, sat large chess pieces, colored gold and black. One of the first pairs to arrive at the temple was none other than Yang and Blake, who like Ruby and Weiss, were polar opposites joined together by the rule of eye contact.

"How about a cute little pony!" Yang exclaimed, holding up a golden knight piece towards Blake.

"Sure." her quiet replied plainly, rolling her eyes.

"Do you think that screaming girl's okay?" Yang asked concerned, "it was pretty loud."

"I'm sure they're fine." Blake answered. "It's not like we're random kids, we've all tried to become huntsmen and huntresses."

"True."

"Anyways, we should get going, before any grimm get here-" she stopped speaking, and abruptly turned her head to the sky, drawing her katana from its sheath. Yang armed her gauntlets, and looked up, trying to see whatever had Blake on edge, and was more than surprised to see a boy… falling from the sky… again…

" _Why do I get the feeling of deja vu-_ bwa!" she gasped as she took a body to the head, knocking her to the ground, with a certain boy's unconscious body rolling off of her. " _Ow… so much worse than the first_ _time._ " she groaned.

"..." Blake, remained silent, though her yellow eyes were as open as they possibly could.

 **END**


	8. Chapter 8

**Cmedina1- Yeah, but remember this is anime logic. Frogs can teach you the Force, hair color = power, and birds can rapid fire infinite steel-like arrows. Also the dance thing... ooh~ boy.**

 **YeTiahsni- 1. Based on Qrow's stories, some huntsmen seem to diverge from the whole "protect humanity" path, and become mercenaries. Raven's technically a huntress, but she only cares for her tribe. Shinobi, while they do jobs like mercenaries, generally have a loyalty to their nation, they're not just mercs. 2. We're never told how long it is, so I took some liberties with it. I would assume the first year or two would be mainly devoted to teaching academically before the more hands-on stuff. 3. One of his reasons is similar to that of getting a hunter's pass from hxh. If people recognize that he's a certified huntsmen, it'll be easier to get access to things. That's not the only reason, but that's the reason I'll be listing.**

 **Guest- Sorry, I decided I wouldn't bring any characters from the narutoverse to RWBY other than Madara.**

 **Rain-XIX- 1. Yang was mid-air sideways and was punched through the side of a tall and thin pillar, not down the entire pillar. 2. They're not rookies when it comes to combat, they're all (except for Jaune) pretty adept to combat. 3. There's a lot of things wrong with the vs battle wiki. It says that that Pyrrha is faster than Ruby, and is supposedly "massively hypersonic". Hypersonic at minimum is mach 5, and I haven't seen any RWBY characters forming any mach cones that would suggest they've even gone mach 1. It also states that she, along with the likes of Yang, Ren, and Cardin Winchester of all people, are all able to demolish multiple city blocks and tank those same attacks at once and on their own. I request proof of this.**

 **Greer123- they already met, I think two chapters ago or so.**

 **Next Chappy- Thank you very much for explaining that for me, though you don't have to worry too much about the other reviewers. I take any kind of criticism (except trolls) since through that feedback I can learn and modify my story to be better. Also the moon thing was an idea I had/have for later on in the story :3.**

Chapter 8

 **Abandoned Temple**

"Owww..." Yang groaned, still on the ground after the unexpected impact.

"Did that guy just fall from the sky?" Blake asked for confirmation, still in shock of what just happened. People typically didn't fall from the sky, and even when they did there was usually something like a cliff or high point to jump from. There was no such place here.

"It happens… more than you think…" Yang droned, before finally moving her limbs to stand up. "You alright there?" she asked, standing over the barely-conscious boy.

"...mhm…" he replied quietly. "I feel like my entire body is broken." he complained, turning over and picking himself off of the ground.

"...Hey, wait a minute, you're the guy who threw up on my shoes!" she exclaimed, recognizing the boy. In turn, Jaune jumped back slightly, raising his hands up defensively and shaking his head.

"W-woah! Listen, it's not my fault I get air sickness!" he protested. "It's a lot more common than most people think, I'll have you know."

"Hey, it's probably not the best time to argue." Blake commented, remind the two blondes of their current situation. They were still in their initiation, and therefore, they were being observed and graded. They quickly ceased their argument, stepping away from one another as if nothing happened.

"A-anyways, um, I'm Jaune. Have either of you two seen a girl with red hair or an orange spear at all?" Jaune asked hopeful. "I got separated from my partner after we ran into a huge grimm." the girls shook their heads cluelessly, and Jaune lowered his head disappointedly.

"Well, I'm Yang and this is Blake." she introduced her and her quiet partner. "Who's your partner? Maybe we can help you find th-gwaa!" before she could even finish her sentence, Yang was once again knocked on the ground, but this time, it wasn't an attack from above. Something had just tackled her from behind, more specifically, an inexplicable red mass. Said red mass, suddenly seemed to spit out even more colors: white, brown, and a lighter red. After three continuous thuds and rumbles, their numbers had doubled from three to six. Aside from Yang, the other three on the ground were none other than Ruby, Weiss, and Pyrrha.

"Pyrrha!" Jaune exclaimed, quickly running to the side of his partner. "P-Pyrrha, are you alright?!" he asked, clearly panicked based on his open frown and wide eyes.

Opening her eyes slowly, the red haired girl looked at Jaune, allowing him a sigh of relief. "J-Jaune?" she asked surprised. Jaune lent his hand, which Pyrrha accepted, and got off of the ground. Meanwhile, Ruby, Weiss, and Yang got off of the ground as well, Yang hugging her little sister tightly.

" _Those too… are really close…_ " Weiss thought to herself as she stared blankly at the two sisters. She didn't even notice it, but for some reason, one of her own hands was clenched, as if she was trying to hold on to something. "A-ahem!" she called for everyone's attention. "While this reunion is nice and all, we need to get moving. There's a Deathstalker that was following us. It'll probably be here soon." she explained hastily.

"You guys ran away from a deathstalker?" Blake asked skeptically.

However, her doubts soon disappeared with the resounding shriek of a massive grimm growing louder and louder. The ground shook slightly, and the group of six could see trees falling over one by one. Then suddenly, there were explosions going off nearby the attacker. They sounded like grenades going off, but grimm didn't use explosive weaponry, or any artificial weapons at all. In other words, the Deathstalker had already engaged in battle with someone else.

First, out of the forest, came two students. One was a boy with black hair, a green shirt, and white pants, holding what appeared to be a pair of bladed handguns. The second was a girl who had short orange hair, a black vest, and a pink skirt, holding a grenade launcher in her arms. Trailing not to far behind them was the massive scorpion-like grimm, wish small traces of ice latched onto its tail.

"Huh, Speak of the devil." Yang quipped passively. "Why's there ice on it?"

"That's the one that attacked me. Weiss and Ruby assisted me with running from it, but it's followed us here." Pyrrha explained sternly, equipping her shield and spear. "We have to help those two." she declared before rushing towards the pair.

"Let's go too!" Ruby exclaimed, expanding her own scythe to combat mode and running top speed.

"Count me in!" Yang said. Pointer her fists back Yang armed her shot gauntlets, blasting them backwards and providing thrust like a rocket.

With a roll of his eyes, the blonde boy who had just recently experienced the creature's power first-hand, Jaune shrugged defeated. "Oh god" he murmured, before charging in after the others like a lemming.

With two speechless girls remaining, one of black and one of white, Weiss and Blake sighed simultaneously. They both noticed this, and for a short moment stared at one another. For reasons neither of them could explain, there was some tension between the two.

"Have I… met you before?" Weiss asked cluelessly.

"...no, we haven't ever met." Blake responded with a disdainful frown. There was another brief silence, before the two nodded, and joined their fellow students in battle against the massive scorpion

The battle commenced, starting with Ruby, who used her scythe in conjunction with her speed to slash the Deathstalker's face. The Deathstalker however, was prepared, and moved its large pincers up to guard, parrying her strike and pushing her back. In Ruby's place, Pyrrha jumped overhead, and threw her spear towards its face, piercing into one of its eight eyes. The monster shrieked, and thrusted its tail at Pyrrha, who blocked with her shield. The force threw Pyrrha back, but due to the sheer size of the stinger, the tail laid stuck in the ground until the creature could pull it out. It gave its opponents an opening, and they took full advantage of it. The orange haired girl, who stopped running away, turned and launched multiple shots from her grenade launcher, each exploding with a pink mist all over the grimm's body. It wretched once again, and finally was able to reclaim its tail. The Deathstalker quickly backed away on its hind legs, keeping its pincers up and tail coiled back.

" _That armor's tough, slashing does nothing, and the tail can pack a serious punch. But it looks like those explosions can penetrate through the armor. Blunt or piercing weapons should work also._ " Jaune theorized, staying behind while the others fought. " _but they have to be fast. Other grimm will be on their way here after sensing the fight. If we're here to long and waste too much energy, we'll be sitting ducks!"_ he panicked, trying to shake his head around to clear his thoughts. For a brief time, Jaune looked down at himself, particularly his sword and shield, hand me downs from the great war. " _But they probably already know that.._ " he told himself as he squeezed harder on the handles.

Surprisingly, they seemed to not notice. Neither Ruby's scythe, the black haired boys guns, Pyrrha's rifle/spear/sword, and Blakes katana did anything to harm it, yet they still tried. Yang and the orange haired girl, with their impact and blunt force-based weapons, along with Weiss' rapier, were the only weapons that seemed to faze the grimm.

The Deathstalker, constantly bombarded by explosive ammunition from Yang and the orange haired girl, thrusted its large tail at Yang, but was more than surprised with the results. Instead of dodging the attack, which she could've done, Yang allowed the stinger to hit her, draining a noticeable amount of her aura and throwing her to the ground in the process.

"Yang!" Blake shouted in worry, but Yang simply stood back up, with a wider smile than before.

"Don't worry," Ruby said in reassurement. "Everytime she's hit with an attack she becomes stronger and reflects that damage. That's her semblance."

The Deathstalker recoiled its tail again, this time, using its large pincers to try to grab the blonde haired girl, but it failed almost miserably. Yang's eyes flashed from lavender to pure red, and with a straight punch, the nearly shattered the armor of one of its pincers, stunning everyone with this show of force.

" _Wait… I got it!_ " Jaune realized, clenching his fist with pride. "Hey!" he shouted at the top of his lungs, grabbing everyone's attention. "Yang, does your semblance apply to both striking strength and lifting strength?" he asked

"What's the difference?" Yang asked puzzled.

"That's a yes, good. Uh… white, can you keep it in place? Stunt its movement?"

"What did you call me?!" Weiss barked, and Jaune jumped back, but she quickly recomposed herself. "Yeah, I got it.." she declared, causing the barrel in her sword to cycle and glow white.

"Yang, get the thing to thrust at you. When it does, hold its tail in place!" he commanded, and his fellow blonde nodded. "Everyone with a blade, when Yang stops its tail, cut the stinger off at the base. Give it everything you got. Pyrrha, stay back until I give another command."

"Understood!" Ruby shouted back.

Weiss spun in a circle once, and then stuck her sword into the ground las she did before, but instead of a plume of fire, a large amount of ice crystals formed around the Deathstalkers body, trapping most of its body in dense ice. It shrieked, unable to move, and instinctively targetted the closest person it could, that being Yang. out of pincer range, it thrusted its tail just as planned, and this time, Yang caught the tail, holding it in place.

"Go!" Jaune shouted to Ruby, Blake, and the boy in green.

The three did as told, rushing forward and leaping at the tail's end, where the stinger was connected. With their combined strength, the blades cleaved through the thin width of the tail, severing the gold stinger's connection. Though it strained her, Yang held the heavy object with her hands alone.

"Pyrrha, can you move that thing?" Jaune asked with an excited smile.

"Yes, but not very much." Pyrrha admitted, putting away her weapons and raising her hands up.

"That's fine. Yang, give it all you got, throw the thing as high as you can and towards the Grimm. Pyrrha, I need you to position it so the stinger will land and stab into its head."

"you … can have this… back!" Yang shouted, tossing the heavy object back at the creature, and with Pyrrha's impeccable control with her semblance, the stinger's tip pierced the scorpion's helmet.

"Good, now all we need is a giant…. Hammer… crap!" Jaune started to panic. "How did I miss something like that?!" he shouted at himself.

"A hammer?! Yes!" the orange haired girl exclaimed with glee. She pointed her grenade launcher back with one arm, and the body of the firearm extended, the barrel becoming a hammerhead. In both of her hands, the girl held a large steel hammer with pink accents.

"That's awesome! I mean, hammer and nail!" Jaune commanded.

The girl pointed the front of the hammer down, and used the still-functioning grenade launcher within to blast herself into the air. The girl giggled to herself as she flew into the sky, before gravity took over. She fired again, and through sheer force, came down like a lightning bolt. She slammed down so hard with her hammer that the sound reverberated throughout the forest, and the stinger was driven far enough into the scorpion's head to destroy it completely. The Deathstalker shrieked one last time and fell limp, lifeless.

The noise faded away into silence, and the large body began evaporating. The eight students were indeed victorious.

"We… we did it?" Ruby asked. "We did it!" she cheered, putting away her scythe and throwing her hands up."

"I… am beat…" Yang said panting and barely on her feet, her eyes returned to lavender as she exhausted all of her stamina. "That thing was way too heavy." she complained.

"Thanks for the assistance." the boy in green said to everyone, bowing slightly. " we wouldn't have been able to do it without the help. I'm Lie Ren."

"And I'm Nora!" the orange haired girl interjected cheerful as ever.

"You know, I can't help but feel that something's off." Weiss commented.

"Your crush ain't here?" Yang asked sarcastically. Unfortunately for Weiss, she took it literally.

"What?! I don't like hi- I mean that's ridiculous. I don't have a clue what you're saying." Weiss replied in protest. "I'm just saying that something feels wrong, okay?"

Yang laughed at her friend's response. "Well, don't worry Weiss, you'll get to see him whenever he shows back up."

"I'm sorry, but who is this 'he'?" Ren asked confused.

"Oh, Madara's part of out family." Yang answered. "He's kind of like Ruby's and my brother, but he never actually says we're siblings, so we have to for him."

" _Hm, why that could be?_ " Ren asked himself, resting his chin in his hand. " _If they're siblings, shouldn't he acknowledge them as family?_ "

"A-anyways, let's get out of here before any other Grimm show up. I don't think we can handle another one of those right now." Jaune pleaded, shuddering to think of having to face another large grimm at this time.

"Agreed, we could all do without another encounter." Pyrrha concurred. "Let us collect the remaining relics and end this initiation, shall we?" everyone nodded.

The group, now of eight members, returned to the temple ruins to obtain their relics, one per pair, but as they did, Blake seemed as if she was on guard for something else.

"What's the matter, Blake?" Yang asked her partner with a nudge of the elbow.

"N-nothing…" Blake replied, turning her attention back to her friends. "I just… it's nothing really."

"Alright then, let's get going. Everyone have their partner and piece?" Yang called out, and everyone replied with "yes".

The eight left for the cliffside just as instructed, proud of their achievements. However, what exactly had put Blake off? There was no singular cause, in fact, there were two unceasing feelings. First, It was as if she thought someone had followed them, but if there was someone there, surely one of the eight would have noticed. Second, she noticed that out of all the pieces that remained before they had slain the grimm, the black king piece was missing, and none of them had it.

 **Beacon Cliffside**

"Ah, so you've returned." Ozpin said to the person standing before him, none other than the raven haired boy with red eyes, Madara, with the Black King in his hand. "You have a relic, but not a partner?" he asked skeptically.

"It wasn't possible. There were an odd number of students to start with. In fact, I'd like to know why." Madara all but demanded, staring the man with his coal black eyes.

"Call it a miscalculation." Ozpin quickly responded. "There was a glitch in the distribution system, and someone was added to the roster for this test. My apologies, Mr. Uchiha. Rest assured however, that this test will remain valid. For now, you can report back to the auditorium."

Madara nodded, and began walking past the headmaster.

"If I may ask," Ozpin stopped the boy one last time. "Why did you choose not to intervene? With your talents and capabilities, you surely could have eliminated the grimm single handedly."

"Hn, they didn't need my help. Just four of them would have been sufficient in dispatching the Deathstalker." Madara said, a hint of pride in his voice.

"I see… no more questions." Ozpin finished, and Madara left. Before long, the last eight were to return, and everyone would return to the auditorium, where teams were to be assigned based on their work within the forest. " _Mr. Uchiha is a unique one. He reminds me of a former student… I hope he does not meet the same unfortunate fate._ " the gray haired man mused. Putting away his cane, Ozpin took out his scroll, and made a call. "Glynda, have the instructors finished their grading?"

"Yes, the last teams will be arriving shortly." she responded with a flat tone.

"I see, thank you. That will be all." He said, hanging up his scroll with a slight smile. " _Perhaps they will be the key… no matter. For now, assigning teams takes precedence._ " he decided, as the eight remaining students arrived.

 **END**

 **And now that's settled. Next time, we'll be getting back to the main character.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Random Tandom- I will say that the goal of my response wasn't really to tell off Rain as far as the speed in particular. The speed part was just an example of how the Vs battle wiki was inaccurate. I will say though, while Naruto didn't exactly get new fancy power up forms, he very clearly improved, based on his increased speed creating rasengans, cqc skills, and training in making the rasenshuriken. Sasuke very clearly had been getting enhancements during the series, from evolving th sharingan, the curse mark, susanoo, etc.**

 **The Benevolent Scriber- in my defense, they both: have long black hair, have red eyes (variable), wear masks (Obito/Tobi as Madara), trained to kill other people, prize strength above pretty much all else, lead their own family/clans/tribes. They also both have some pretty unfortunate brother issues.**

 **Allhailthesith- uh… yes?**

 **Uh, quick announcement. Unfortunately, Redler Red won't be beta reading anymore. So I'm more or less without a beta. The quality may be a bit worse than usual until I can find another beta.**

Chapter 9

 **Principal's Office**

"Now, Mr. Uchiha," Ozpin addressed the boy standing in front of him. "I'm sure you want to know why I've asked you to come here alone, and why I hadn't assigned you to a team." Madara nodded, and waited quietly for the headmaster to proceed. "Very well… You see, the number of total students that had succeeded in their initiations, excluding you, fell perfectly into teams of four. Having you in any of these would result in a team of five, which would be more problematic. So, judging from your evaluations, I had decided that you wouldn't be apart of any team. This shouldn't be any issue, will it?" he asked, with an eyebrow raised.

"No, it's fine." Madara replied simply, his hands firmly planted in his pockets.

"Good, we wouldn't have changed it regardless. That is all for now, your "team" room is number 42, beside team RWBY." Ozpin explained, tossing a key with a tag on it to the black haired boy. With one hand, Madara easily caught the key, and pocketed it as well before leaving.

"Before I leave, Professor, there is something I'd like to ask." Madara said, his back still facing the old man.

"Go ahead." Ozpin replied calmly.

"What is in this Academy?" There was a brief moment of silence, before Ozpin cleared his throat.

"Mr. Uchiha, I believe you'll come to find that the only things in this Academy are entirely school-related." he responded with a flat tone. "Rest assured, there isn't anything strange, by our standards, that you would need to worry about."

"...Understood." and with that, Madara was gone.

 **Next day - Classroom**

It had only been a day since classes started up, and things had already kicked off. Within one of the many classrooms of Beacon Academy, a fight ensued. What started as a demonstration quickly transformed into nothing less of a slaughter. Lives were taken in seconds, and many of the spectators stared in awe.

"Bravo!" the class' instructor, Professor Port, commented with pride, watching Madara finish off a Boarbatusk, a boar-like Grimm, he had brought in for class. "Excellent job Mr. Uchiha. It appears we are indeed in the presence of a true huntsmen in training."

With a grunt, Madara began walking back to his his seat in the back row, but the school bell rang signalling the end of the class. For some, it was the last class of the day.

"I'm afraid that is all the time we have for today. Be sure to cover the assigned readings. Class dismissed."

The classroom emptied out as the hallway filled, with students moving to their next classes or back to their rooms. Of those students who returned to their rooms, included team RWBY. and team JNPR. Though, most peculiarly, was Madara's lack of any team members. In fact, the boy wasn't even addressed during the Formation Ceremony in which teams of four would be assembled.

"Hey, Madara!" Ruby called out to the black haired boy. "Where's your team?"

Madara turned and paused for a brief second, thinking of a way to respond without having to explain thoroughly.

"I wasn't assigned one. The Headmaster took note of my isolated personality, and decided to keep it that way." Madara answered in a stoic tone

"Aww," Ruby frowned. "That doesn't sound great at all. You'll have to have a room alone. Though, it does kinda suit you. Anyways, how about joining us for lunch?" Ruby offered.

"I'll eat later. There's something I'll be doing during this time." Madara answered.

"Something good happen to you?" Ruby guessed cluelessly.

"I will let you know when I get confirmation. For now, you should be with your team… it looks like Yang's about to punch someone." Madara gave a small smile as he lifted a finger, pointing to the blonde who currently held a dark orange haired boy by the collar and against the wall.

"Ah! Yang, put him down!" Ruby frantically shouted as she ran off into the crowd.

" _Despite being a combat training school, and one of the most prestigious at that, the students seem more like regular school students. Excluding the Grimm, this is a time of peace I suppose. I'll see to it that this peace is maintained_." Madara declared to himself, before vanishing from the flow of students.

 **Library**

Beacon's Library was as large and grand as expected of the rest of the school. Massive bookshelves, lining the walls of the building, held up to seven lines of dozens of books each. In between the bookshelves laid wooden tables able to hold five or six people on the long sides.

"So, this is what the school's Library is." Madara remarked, crossing his arms in admiration of the sheer scale. " _Now, to find what I need._ "

Madara had come for one reason only. As a school for Huntsmen and Huntresses, the school undoubtedly held information that would be nearly impossible to come by in a normal store. Here, things like geography would likely be more detailed, and history and origins of certain elements in the world would be more easily accessible. It was all in the name of the last Uchiha's original goal.

In one of the farthest back shelves, alone, sat a large brown book. The cover appeared dirtied and rugged, barely withstanding the test of time. Uncareful hands could render the block of paper and leather to dust, and not the useful kind. The front of the book depicted the moon, but for some reason, it was a full moon. Since Madara had arrived in this world, the moon always appeared fractured. Pieces of it were always floating, separate from the main celestial body at a fixed distance. If chakra existed here, Madara could've believed that there was a sage of six paths in this world at some point to create such a structure. It was how things went in _his_ world. However, if that was true here as well, what could have caused such damage? All the more reason to reclaim his full strength and soon.

Passed… Grimmoire." Madara read out the title in a whisper. The writing on the front was distorted, heavily damaged by the effects of time, making only parts of it readable. "No, Past Grimoire?" he corrected himself.

Madara activated his Sharingan, and started to flip through the pages rapidly. " _Interesting, but this all seems to be just a collection of short stories and myths._ " he complained.

With eyes like his, scanning the pages was all he needed to memorize the contents. However, in the middle of his "reading", a sharp pain suddenly surfaced in his eye.

" _Again?_ " Madara asked himself, clutching his eye. " _Why now is this happening?_ " he wondered.

"Excuse me," a feminine voice appeared from behind the Uchiha. The voice was that of a girl's, undoubtedly, but not a voice he had ever heard before. . Madara glanced over his shoulder, and something was clearly wrong. At first, when he looked over, the girl had light skin, long black hair, and blue eyes. However, after a second or two, her appearance changed drastically. Her skin darkened, her blue eyes were pure red like Yang's were when she was excited. Her hair was shortened to her shoulders, and was a bright green.

" _This girl… did she try to use genjutsu?_ " he mused, making sure not to show any signs of his realization. "Yes?" Madara asked, hiding his suspicion.

"I think you have my book." she said, pointing to the block of paper in Madara's hands.

Madara stayed still for a moment, before reluctantly handing it to her. His eyes stayed tracked on the girl, as he tried to explain to himself what was with her.

"You're not a student here, are you?" Madara asked skeptically.

"You got me," the girl chuckled. "I'm not really a student here, my friend is though. I came here last year to visit on the last day, and left my book here. I couldn't come here during breaks, you know?"

"True." Madara replied. " _An empty lie. Still, she is adamant on retrieving that book, or is it that she just doesn't want me to see it?_ "

"Anyways, thanks for cooperating. See you around." the girl said as she turned to walk away.

"I never got your name." Madara stopped the green haired girl mid-walk with a grab of her arm.

"Oh…" she paused, feeling a nervous chill passing through every part of her body. "Uh, my name… it's Em." she answered.

"I see." Madara replied, letting go of the girl. The moment his grip disappeared, she increased her walking pace, albeit very slightly, as if she was trying to hide her urge to run. Madara, of course, didn't miss the change, and made sure to remember both of her appearances.

 **School Yard**

Standing, or more accurately _leaning_ , against the outer wall of the Library, was a boy with gray hair and eyes, wearing completely gray and black clothes. The boy whistled to himself, before stopping as the front doors opened and the dark skinned girl walked out.

"Did you get the book?" he asked in a calm but playful tone.

"Are you blind or something?" the girl replied sarcastically, holding up the book with one hand.

"Hmph, whatever. Let's get going." he commanded, and the two began their walk out of the school.

"Was there any trouble?" the gray haired boy asked, throwing his hands up and behind his head as he walked.

"There was this one boy who was holding it when I got there." she explained. "I don't know for sure, but he may have seen through me." she said with a worried tone.

"Sounds like you're just getting worse at your job." he quipped with a proud grin on his face.

"Oh shut up." she demanded. "It doesn't matter anyways. Not like we'll be seeing him any time soon."

 **Library**

" _Em… for emerald?_ " Madara mused. " _It doesn't matter for now._ " considering the book and the girl were already gone, Madara would have to make do with the amount he skimmed through. It was really amazing how many different ways the Sharingan could be used.

Using the Shunshin no Jutsu, Madara was at the Library exit in a second. What awaited him, was less than pleasant. Just a few meters in front of him and the Library front doors, were five boys. Two of which Madara was able to instantly identify, thanks to spectating the ceremony. The blonde boy wearing white armor over a black hoodie \was the boy he had seen twice before, Jaune Arc, leader of team JNPR. The other was a boy with dark orange hair, Cardin Winchester, leader of team CRDL, holding the aforementioned blonde by the collar.

"Look at this guys." Cardin boasted to the rest of his team. "How does a guy like this make it into Beacon?" he laughed, and so did his three colleagues. "Hey, listen'ere Jauney boy. My teammates and I don't have the time to do our reports from Oobleck. How about doing us a solid?"

Jaune, who looked like he was about to piss himself in fear, gulped hard, and shook his head as he whimpered.

"Aww, what a shame. I thought you would've realized before that weaklings have no say." Cardin's gaze turned to a glare, as his free hand curled into a fist. "Guess I'll have to teach you a lesson. I am just not having a good day with blondes." The thug-like student threw his fist towards Jaune. The blonde slammed his eyes shut, and braced for impact, but the pain that would surely come with never did.

"Huh?!" Cardin gasped.

Jaune opened his own eyes, to see a black fingerless-gloved hand holding Cardin's, protecting him from harm.

"Weaklings, you say?" Madara asked with a cold tone and black eyes that could kill. "To throw a weak punch like that after boasting about strength, what foolishness." he mocked, effortlessly throwing the boy's arm back. There was no telling just how much petty anger welled up inside of Cardin, but even he had _some_ self control. Scoffing, he brushed the taunt off, and along with the other three, departed.

"Uh… thanks." Jaune said, brushing himself off. "I saw you on the Bullhead. What was your name?" he asked his new "friend".

"Madara Uchiha." the raven haired boy responded. "Why do you let them have their way?" he asked.

"Oh… uh, I don't know." Jaune surrendered. "I don't want to cause any big problems since it's so early in the year. I'm uh… not much of a fighter."

"Not a fighter at a school meant to train warriors." Madara pointed out the logical fallacy in Jaune's claim, making the boy freeze. "You're not incapable in combat, I've seen as much from you in the Emerald Forest, but you lack confidence in yourself." Madara stated.

Onge

"I don't really get it. How am I supposed to be more confident? Everyone in the school is stronger and faster than me. They probably have their own things to worry about."

"Believe in yourself, your comrades, and have the will to fight until the very end, until every bone and every muscle in your body is dust." upon parting the boy with his "words of wisdom", Madara had decided to leave the scene. His work was done, and the other members of team JNPR were arriving on the scene.

"Jaune!" Pyrrha shouted as they reached their leader. "Are you alright? I saw you were being pulled away by Cardin." she said with a concerned tone. "Was he trying to pick on you? You can tell us, if you want."

"No Pyrrha, I'm fine, really." he tried to reassure her.

"If any of those goons try anything, I'll break their legs!" Nora declared proudly, only for Ren to put a calming hand on her shoulder.

Pyrrha sighed, calming herself down to think more clearly. "If you're certain, then alright, but don't hesitate to come to us for anything. We are a team," she promised.

"You're right…" Jaune glanced away, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly, as if he was about to make a risky gamble. "Hey, uh, Pyrrha, Nora, Ren, do you think you could help me with something?"

"What is it?" Pyrrha asked.

"Ooh! Sounds like fun!" Nora said excitedly. Ren was silent, but his expression urged for him to continue.

"I'm not too good with fighting on the front lines like you all are. Is there any chance you could… I don't know… give me a few pointers?" he asked reluctantly. He almost immediately regretted asking. It was like he just made a terrible mistake. Luckily, his doubts were corrected. His team, including the stoic as always Ren, all smiled.

"We thought you'd never get to asking!" Nora shouted in a half-playful half-irritated tone. "Let's get those limbs moving!" somehow, despite her short stature, the orange haired girl managed to lift Jaune over her head, and with one arm. "I got something special, just for you!"

" _Ooh god, Madara help!_ " he pleaded, but no voice came out of his mouth. However, a short distance away, the very boy he called out for was standing, smirking pridefully.

" _Why did I decide to help that boy again?_ " Madara asked himself. In truth, a part of him didn't even understand his own actions. Perhaps, just maybe, it was because that blonde boy reminded him of someone else. Someone who he knew was a weak moron as a child, but over time became incredibly powerful, and worthy of utmost respect. Was that it? Maybe, maybe not. Regardless of Jaune's fate, it was very clear, that a great many things had been set in motion, by his hands and by the hands of others.

 **END**

 **Uh yeah, sorry again if this chapter's lackluster compared to the rest. I'm still learning as I go.**


	10. Chapter 10

**The Benevolent Scriber- Actually we just continued in PMs. It was mostly: "this and this doesn't make sense therefore this and this..." while citing sources, aka RWBY episodes. On the other hand, Rain was saying "You're being a whiny butthurt asian… the vs battle wiki has tons of supported/proven calculations… you haven't cited anything." then he blocked me after saying I was full of sh*t. If anyone wants to see the whole thing you can PM me.**

 **I'm still looking for a new beta reader, just one or two. I still have one, but fault tolerance is always a good thing. If anyone would like to, plz PM me. I'd prefer people who have written something of their own, as a safety measure of sorts.**

Chapter 10

 **Unknown Location**

"Now, Emerald, did you retrieve the item I asked you to?" The woman in red asked.

"Yes," the green haired girl named Emerald confirmed, brandishing the torn, withered block of paper and leather.

"Good," she replied, taking the book from her hands. "I assume there was no issue."

"None of importance."

"Hey, you're forgetting the thing you told me," the gray haired boy interjected, "The one about the guy who looked at you."

"Mercury, shut up," Emerald muttered, glaring daggers at the uncaring boy.

"Explain," the woman demanded, sharpening her gaze on her junior. Emerald suddenly felt a sense of extreme fear, as if she was being stared down by death itself, a force of nature, a natural disaster holding her by the throat.

"There… there was some boy, a new student. I think he noticed me through the hallucination I put him under." Emerald explained, sweat forming on the back of her neck.

"Is that so?" she thought with an interested grin. "Hmm… You both have a new task. I want you both to observe this boy. Report anything and everything you find out about him back to me. However, do not let your covers be blown."

"How're we going to do that?" Mercury asked, "We're not students, and the festival isn't for another two months," he pointed out.

"Our Associate will arrange the two of you as part of an exchange program," she answered swiftly, "I'll be making preparations now, the two of you will first meet with them and obtain your uniforms. Failure is not acceptable. Dismissed."

"Yes ma'am." the teenagers nodded. The two left, closing the entrance door behind them, and leaving the lone woman to herself. "This could turn out to be _quite an opportunity._ " she smirked dangerously. "Maybe… even a tool for _that_."

* * *

 **Beacon Academy Courtyard**

* * *

"Hrah!" Yang grunted, throwing a bare fist at her opponent. It was blocked, but she quickly retracted her arm and thrusted with her other fist. Once her punch met the air, she leaned back and swung her leg high, attempting to land a roundhouse kick. It was caught, and she suddenly felt her body being pulled from its position. She was swung around for three revolutions before being tossed away.

"You'll have to do better than that." her opponent tauned.

"I'm going to win this time, Madara!" Yang exclaimed, a faint glint emanating from the end of her golden hair. She rushed forward again.

* * *

"I'm surprised she can go on for this long," Weiss commented, as she, Blake, Ruby, along with team JNPR, spectated the duel.

"I'm surprised _he_ can go on this long." Jaune countered. "You girls have been sparring with him nonstop since class ended. This is like, his thirteenth round and he hasn't taken a break once."

"Madara has really high endurance. It's almost like he's a superhuman." Ruby explained. "He does this kind of thing all the time… I wonder where he gets all that energy from."

"What's even more impressive is his lack of a weapon. I don't think I've ever actually seen him use a weapon… or even a semblance for that matter." Weiss remarked. "It doesn't even seem like he uses his aura." she realized.

"Maybe he's actually an alien! And he came here on a mission to save the world from other invaders!" Nora suggested with her usual amount of enthusiasm. "Or or! maybe he's like from a different dimension… or what if he's from the future, come to save us from an evil villain?!"

"Nora, please, he's Ruby's and Yang's adopted brother. There's nothing abnormal about something like that," Ren countered, to which Ruby silently chuckled to herself.

" _Well, that's not exactly true..._ " she thought with a weak smile. " _Too bad we're not allowed to tell anyone._ "

* * *

Yang redirected Madara's punch and tried another kick, finally landing a solid hit on his stomach. She smiled gleefully, before continuing her assault. The blonde threw a volley of punches, each with the same impact as a cannonball. However, each was avoided by the smallest margin, and one of Madara's own punches connected with her chin. With a hard uppercut, Yang staggered back, holding her jaw with one hand while keeping the other raised in a defensive position.

"That was a heavy one," Yang commented, staring down Madara, who crossed his arms. "I'll be returning the favor now."

Yang kicked off of the ground, using her gauntlets to triple her acceleration and slammed her right fist into Marara. He blocked with both of his arms, but the force was enough to push him back a few centimeters. Yang advanced once more, throwing a punch and firing a shot with every step she took. As her assault continued, more and more of her attacks began to penetrate Madara's defenses.

" _Her punches are harder, sharper than last time._ " Madara analyzed, dodging under another kick. " _However, she lacks speed and awareness. On top of that, her fighting style is entirely direct. Were I to use ninjutsu or genjutsu, or should another opponent use an indirect attack, she would be at a large disadvantage. I'll have to train her to be more flexible._ " The black haired boy thought as he threw a punch into Yang's chest.

" _Almost there,_ " she thought, stepping back and smirking at how much power her semblance had amassed for her.

"Let's wrap things up." Madara declared, using chakra to enhance his own strength while activating his Sharingan.

"You got it!" Yang replied, her eyes turning bright red and hair glowing flaming gold. She hit her fists together, causing a small explosion of pure energy strong enough to cause the spectators to brace themselves.

" _That glow… it's stronger now than it's ever been. Quite a sight to behold. I recall a similar appearance from an opponent long ago, a little brat who couldn't help but be a pest._ " Madara thought with a proud smile forming on his face. it had been over a decade since he saw something like this, excluding the other spars he had against Yang. witnessing this increase in power filled the Uchiha with excitement.

At the same time, the two sprinted forward, cocking their dominant hands back and preparing their finishing blows. It was as if two comets collided with one another, causing the planet itself to shiver and shake. The energy released from the collision created a massive shock wave, strong enough to throw nearly all of the spectators, except Pyrrha, off of their feet and back.

The dust and debris, kicked up into the air from the impact, finally began to settle. The audience returned to their seats while they brushed themselves off.

"That-ahagh, was so-hagh, cool!" Ruby commented while coughing up some of the dust particles that reached her throat.

"Now I have dirt in my hair." Weiss grumbled to herself.

"They're so strong _… I don't ever wanna fight any of these people._ " Jaune felt a shiver run down his back, as for only a second, the idea of trying to go head to head with any of team RWBY and even his own team, flashed through his thoughts. It was in the best interests of his own safety that such a thing wasn't ever to happen. "Even if I was stronger, they could mop the floor with me no problem."

On the battlefield, both Yang and Madara remained on their feet with a meter between them. Yang breathed heavily, her stamina had been drained from their fight. Conversely, Madara was in a considerably better shape, thanks to having much more chakra than she did with aura.

"I suppose this is a draw." Madara declared, keeping his arms crossed and his back straight.. "You've improved." he complimented Yang with a smile.

"Dang It. I was sure I could win this time." Yang complained to herself. "Well, it doesn't matter. I'll win next time." she proclaimed proudly.

"But… Yang… you've never beaten him." Ruby commented, before being flicked on the head by her older sister.

" _You_ haven't either little sis, and you have had twice as many matches as me." The blonde snickered.

"I-I've won once before!" Ruby exclaimed.

"The win-loss record says otherwise." Yang quickly replied, and everyone broke into laughter at Ruby's expense. "Actually, I'm hungry, anyone wanna go for a bite?" she suggested, and everyone but two accepted.

"You all can go on ahead. I have some stuff I have to do." Blake excused herself, glancing back at the Uchiha behind her.

"Madara?" Yang called upon her step-brother, who shook his head. "Alright then. Be careful you two, and make sure to watch Blake until we're back. Don't let her run off on her own 'kay?" Blake shot a glare at the blonde girl as they all left, but it had no effect, as Yang didn't even seem to notice.

Blake turned away from Madara, and began walking towards the school library. Before she could get far enough, however, a voice from behind caused her to turn her head.

"Where do you plan on going?" Madara asked, narrowing his red eyes on the black haired girl's yellow. "You plan to strike at the White Fang, don't you?"

"...no." Blake responded. "Not yet, at least. There's still something I need."

"What are you waiting for? To find a crippling weakness? To amass allies? Or, are you still too afraid?" his question hit her hard, judging from her visible twitch. For a few seconds Blake turned her head slightly, keeping her yellow eyes from meeting his.

"It's,.. complicated. There are things I need to do. The White Fang aren't evil, they're misguided. I know that better than most. Just… getting them to see that, what they're doing is wrong, is the hard thing. Even so, I won't give up. As long as they continue to commit crimes, things will only get worse."

"There is only one way to disable a terrorist organization, dismantle it completely." Madara stated. "Take the heads, the body will weaken and be vulnerable. It's as simple as that."

"No, I'm not going to kill anyone!" Blake protested, but Madara did not relent.

"There are people in every world, that will only listen when they understand force. No matter how hard you try, words simply can't reach them. Case in point, the White Fang." Madara explained with a serious tone.

Throughout the decades of his past life, Madara shared many battles, and there were a number of times he was abandoned. Those factors cultivated, within him, a strong belief and ideology that he **had** held for most of his life: that strength and power could achieve anything.

"I know that some people are like that, but I know there's a chance to show them the truth. I know that if they realized the damage they were doing, they would change." Blake declared with certainty in her voice.

"Like you have?" Madara quickly retorted. "Do you believe that the White Fang will be able to accept the atrocities they have committed, denounce their own comrades, and accept the consequences of their actions? Do you truly think that an entire people can be convinced that their beliefs and ideologies are wrong?"

For her, it was as if the world itself had stopped dead. Faced with questions she couldn't answer, Blake lowered her head, speechless. Her hands were clenched, as if she was about to lash out, but she restrained herself.

"Whatever, whether or not you want to help, I'll do it alone if I have to." Blake said, before walking forward and strutting past Madara, leaving the Uchiha behind her.

" _Blake Belladonna, you're ambitions irritate and impress… for some reason. Regardless, it's impossible to apologize for myself. She will act regardless of my interference. I will have to make do with what I've already prepared._ " Madara nodded to himself, before returning to his own dorm room in a flash.

* * *

 **Unknown Location**

* * *

"Hey, old man, we're here for our clothes." Mercury announced to a gray haired elderly man.

"Ah… y-yes, your uniforms. Here you are." he replied, presenting a male and female uniform. "I've also proposed the exchange to the Headmaster of Beacon, and he accepted. Please keep in mind, I was informed on very short notice, so they may not be of perfect fit."

"Ugh, are these really the clothes? Why are they so… boring? All black, nothing else." Emerald complained, holding up her own uniform to be.

"I'm terribly sorry, but this is what our uniforms are." he bowed. The two teenagers shrugged, packing their items and prepared to leave the room.

"Hey, before we're done here, tell me something." Mercury commanded the man, much to Emeralds surprised. "Did Cinder ever tell you about any of her _other_ plans recently?"

"Huh? Why, not once. Thought, I don't know whether I should be afraid of that fact. Nevertheless, the only messages I've received from her in the past month or two has been a briefing about getting you your disguises." The man admitted.

"Is that so… eh, whatever." Mercury shrugged, putting his free hand into his pocket. "Let's go, Emerald. We have some 'trying on' to do."

"Coming." she replied, walking behind her partner.

 **END**


	11. Chapter 11

**Rio Skyron- don't worry about the Cardin thing. I'm not one to bully characters very much. As for the cinder-madara thing, I've always thought Raven was a closer parallel. Putting aside the appearances, they both prioritize strength and power of everything else, denouncing the weak and acknowledging the strong. That's my take on it.**

 **Guest- well, Wicasta Lovelace once said "You can always judge a man not by his friends, but by the quality of his enemies. A good man will never have enemies who are anything but petty and childish. A bad man will have enemies that are legion. He who dislikes a man reveals much about the man himself." Besides, if you can think of a way to make the story more interesting, I'm all ears.**

Chapter 11

* * *

 **Unknown Location**

* * *

"Uh, Mr. Torchwick, there's someone on the phone for you. Someone named… uh… ashes?" a henchmen in black said, handing a Scroll to the orange haired criminal. As the henchman left, Roman rolled his eyes and put the Scroll to his ear.

" _Oh good grief, what do they want now?_ " he complained, having nowhere near the courage to say it aloud. "Y'ello, it's me," he greeted his caller.

"Roman, forget about the next robbery." the woman on the other end, Cinder Fall, commanded. "We have a new objective for you."

"Really? I uh, I had everything set up already though. It wouldn't take too long to sweep the place clean out-"

"This takes precedence. You will oversee a large shipment of dust from the White Fang in Vale, to one of our locations. Make sure nothing goes wrong, and make sure those animals stay in their places. You have permission to do whatever you have to, but try to not cause any unnecessary commotion that would alert the authorities." and with that last order, there was a high pitched beep, signifying that the connection had been terminated.

Putting down the Scroll, and placing both of his black gloved hands on the table in front of him, Roman sighed heavily. " _Always ordering me around._ " he growled lightly. "Oh _well, I'm alive, and can do whatever I want most of the time. Besides, things won't be this way forever_."

Roman held up his Scroll and turned it on. The criminal then began watching a video that he had recorded on it: footage of a certain black haired boy, tearing apart Grimm, small and large, with ease. " _That kid… those skills… I could use someone like that._ " he smirked, "Let's head out of here, before we get into any more trouble."

Almost completely invisible in the shadows,, someone behind Torchwick nodded silently, before vanishing with a gleeful smile on their face.

* * *

 **Team RWBY room**

* * *

"Hmm…" Ruby hummed, switching between skimming through her history textbook and staring blankly at her history homework. "Hey, Weiss, why did General Steele attack uh… Brigg's Fortress?"

"What?!" Weiss barked. "Ruby, I'm not going to tell you. You need to read it yourself. It's in the third reading section."

"I've looked through every single word. None of the chapter says anything about this guy!" Ruby countered, leaping down from her bed to present her evidence to Weiss, who was sitting at her desk. "Take a look for yourself."

Weiss, surprised that Ruby actually had her book open, decided to take the time to aid her team leader. Unfortunately, her analytical gaze quickly turned to one of disappointment. The white haired girl sighed heavily, before deadpanning as she looked at the her junior.

"Ruby… you're in the wrong chapter. This is chapter three, the homework you're doing is for chapter two." Weiss said in a flat tone.

"Wait what?!" Ruby exclaimed, prompting a snicker from her blonde sister from across the room. "No way! I asked Blake during class to check that it these were the right pages. Oh man I read more than I needed to!" she complained, turning her head to the cat-like teammate. "Blake, you gave me the wrong pages."

"Oh, my bad." she replied in passing, not even turning her head to Ruby.

"Sounds like you're a bit off your game there." Yang commented.

"I'm a bit preoccupied right now." Blake excused herself coldly, causing the air within the room to fall still.

"Blake, you've been pretty distant lately. Is there something going on?" Ruby asked. "You know you can talk to us. We're your teammates."

"Thanks, but this is something I have to do alone." Blake declined, putting away her book and standing up. "I'm going out for a while… later." Blake walked to the room door, opening it as she passed through and closing it behind her. With her no longer present, the three remaining girls looked at one another and spoke quietly.

"Well that was weird, even for Blake." Yang said, sitting up on her bed. "It's like… I don't know how to explain it." Yang said, scratching her head.

"Yeah, she's definitely hiding something important from us, but I doubt she'd tell us." Weiss mentioned.

"Let's ask Madara then." Ruby suggested. "He knows everything… and I mean _everything_."

"That sounds a bit exaggeration. I mean, he's good, but not even _he_ could read minds." Weiss remarked doubtfully.

"Might as well try," Yang shrugged. "Madara has a talent for figuring things out faster than anyone else. Heck, if I had something like that, maybe I'd be able to fi-" suddenly, the blonde stopped talking. She literally froze, prompting Ruby and Weiss to look concerned. "A-anyways, let's go check with him. He probably also noticed." as if on cue, there was a buzzing sound coming from beneath Yang's blanket. It wasn't some obscure device not suitable for children though, luckily. Upon moving the sheets, the blonde teenager found her Scroll with a new message.

"What's it say, who's it from?" Ruby asked.

"Uh… anonymous, and it says 9 30 N Hbr" Yang read aloud. "Oh wait, I know that kind of messaging. Looks like Madara wants us at the North Harbor at 9:30… I wonder why… well, we'll find out soon enough I guess." with a shrug, Yang put away her Scroll

"Is it really the smartest thing to do, to just sit and wait? This seems pretty suspicious. This may be related to Blake. The sooner we find her the better." Weiss pointed out skeptically.

"Of course we're not gonna just laze around." Yang answered. "He should know that Ruby and I never really listen to him by now." she laughed. "But we have a few hours before anything would be happening. So for now, we might as well do whatever. Ruby?" she asked, looking at her little sister.

"Sounds good." Ruby replied. "Actually, since we have time, can we get something to eat? I'm really hungry." she said, pointing to her rumbling stomach.

" _How in the world do these siblings function? My family is nothing like this. It's like they barely care… no, that's not it. It's something else. Wait, does that mean that mine is the weird one?_ " Weiss wondered, before shaking her head of the thought. " _No, absolutely not. They are definitely the abnormal ones._ "

* * *

 **City Sidewalk**

* * *

" _What should I do now?_ " the raven haired boy thought as he walked down the sidewalk. For the past hour or so, he had been exploring and cataloging as much of the city as possible, greatly assisted by the use of his shadow clones. Arguably, it was the most useful jutsu created by Tobirama Senju, not just for combat, but also reconnaissance. " _Hmm, maybe I should intercept the White Fang before they can reach their meeting point… but they would become far more cautious. I will just have to wait until things actually start. I guess I will return to my r-_ "

Madara's train of thought, along with his movement, was suddenly halted as a girl passed him. Or at least, a "girl" is what it appeared to be on the outside. Her hair was bright orange, like Nora's, but with a pink hair bow. She wore a white blouse under short gray feminine overalls, and a pair of black stockings, each with a single green line running vertically down the sides. All things considered, she appeared like a normal person, for citizens of Vale that is, but her appearance wasn't what put him off.

Every human being, whether they realized it or not, gave off an aura. This wasn't the physical manifestation of a huntsmen's soul. This was a metaphysical aura, a manifestation created from the array of emotions every human has. Most can't see the aura of another person, but can see what it's made of by interacting with that person. However, some people, through training, _can_ see this intangible substance. Madara, having lived an entire life of combat and trained to analyze every aspect of a battle, was one such person. This girl beside him, had no such aura. The smile on her face was empty, as if it was just pasted on like a sticker. Her eyes were blank as possible.

" _What… is she?_ " Madara thought to himself, staring blankly at the "girl".

"Umm… may I help you?" the girl asked in a, surprisingly, normal voice and tone.

Realizing that he was staring awkwardly, Madara quickly shook his head, before recomposing himself. "Excuse me, there was just something I was distracted with." he said calmly.

"Oh! I see then. Is there any way that I can be of assistance?" she asked with a curious look.

"...tell me your name."

"My name?" she repeated, pointing to herself, and Madara nodded. "My name is Penny Polendina. I'm a student at Atlas Academy. It is a pleasure to meet you!" Penny introduced herself, extending her hand out to the boy. He returned the gesture, and the two irregulars shook hands. "What might your name be?"

"Madara Uchiha, Beacon Academy." Madara replied. "You're from Atlas huh? Then what are you doing in Vale?" he asked.

"I am here to explore the kingdom, as well as prepare for the Vytal Festival. My father wants to be sure that I am ready for combat. Unfortunately, he will not believe me when i say it. What about you, Madara?"

"I… don't know at the moment. You _could_ say that I'm waiting for something to happen, but that won't be true until a later time." he wasn't lying, he _was_ waiting for Blake to take action, but she wouldn't be able to until the White Fang operation actually started. In the meantime, he had absolutely nothing to do. "Penny, would you mind if I were to accompany you? I would like to learn about you." he asked, wanting an opportunity to study this anomaly in front of him.

"A~bsolutely!… wait a minute. Does this make us... friends?" Penny asked, as if she had never used the word before in her life.

"I suppose it could." he guessed. "If that's what you would like to call it, then we're friends now."

"Fantastic!" Penny cheered, raising her arms into the air. "I've never had a friend before. This would make you my first friend ever." Madara chuckled at the girl's declaration, though she didn't know why. Her statement wasn't too unlike Madara himself, in fact. Excluding his new family, the first and last friend he had was from decades ago.

"Well, Penny, lead the way." he offered. Penny nodded, and continued on her path back the way he came. Shrugging, Madara followed close behind.

After about two minutes, Madara had determined something for certain. There was something very off about her movements, only noticeable now after actually paying attention to her. The way she moved her arms and walked was all too perfect. There was no excess energy being used as she moved. They were fluid, like a technique practiced countless times, or like a wielder of the Straight Tomoe Mangekyou. Her eyes were very clearly green, and she didn't look like a martial artist.

With her back turned, and nobody else paying attention to him, Madara was in the clear. He closed his obsidian black colored eyes for a second, and reopened them as sharingan.

" _Incredible_." was all the black haired boy could think as he scanned her body. The pathways in which her aura flowed from her core to the rest of her body was far too organized to be human. They appeared like wiring used for electrical transfer in machinery. The aura itself, seemed to not be coming from her heart, but the center of her chest. " _A machine with a human soul, advanced enough to appear completely human. Were I a normal civilian, I would have passed it off with no more than a glance. Whoever created it must have access to massive amounts of resources. Given her previous statement, it was created for combat. I look forward to being the first to witness._ " Madara mused, smiling with interest.

"Excuse me, Madara?" Penny turned her head to the side, looking at Madara while still walking straight. "You said you were waiting for an event. In return, may I join you as well?"

Madara looked off into space for a minute, trying to decide whether bringing her would be the best idea. On one hand, it would be a good chance to observe a new development. On the other hand, however, if she truly isn't prepared for combat, she could be put in serious danger. Weighing the options in both hands, Madara made his his decision.

"Do as you wish, just don't get in the way." He answered. "Though, _I look forward to seeing your potential, Penny._ "

 **END**


	12. Chapter 12

**Rio Skyron- if the situation calls for it, he** _ **might**_ **. Though, remember, there's a lot of circumstances that should be met before he would use it, for instance, his surroundings. Also if possible could you PM me the other fanfic you said you were inspired by?**

 **Greer123- well, tbf he didn't actually create them, he just thought he did. They were basically all in hibernation inside of the gedo statue and Black Zetsu pulled them out of it.**

 **Captain SteeleStag- ...uh… that totally wasn't more thought than I had when I first started this… (^_^);;**

Chapter 12

"Do you truly think that an entire people can be convinced that their beliefs and ideologies are wrong?" these words, this question, constantly reverberated in Blake's head, much to her irritation.

" _Why couldn't he just say yes or no?_ " Blake asked herself. " _It would've been that simple. If he just said yes, then I wouldn't have to be angry. God!_ " she was on the verge of screaming, but remained composed as she was in public view. "Whatever, I don't care anymore."

"Don't care about what?" the voice of a young man suddenly reached her ears. Blake quickly spun around, to see nobody. The closest person to her was on the other side of the street. Who could have possibly been talking to her?

" _Was it just my imagination?_ " Blake asked herself, before calming herself down.

"Yo, up here." the same boy's voice returned to the black haired girl, startling her again. Blake jumped back and looked up, as suggested. She saw a blonde haired boy hanging above her. The boy had an unzipped white jacket with no shirt underneath, He was apparently dangling from the streetlamp above her with the help of a blonde-fur tail, a Faunus.

"Who are _you_?" Blake asked defensively.

"The name's Sun, nice to meet'chya." Sun waved hello with a goofy smile before dropping to the ground feet first. "Nice color scheme by the way."

"Are you… following me?"

"What? No. Well, unless you're a part of the White Fang." he said in a quieter voice. "...you're not part of them… are you?"

"No." Blake quickly denied. "Not in the slightest."

"Oh okay, good. I almost blew my cover." Sun chuckled relieved. "Anyways, since I already kinda exposed myself, I guess I should tell you the rest. I'm out looking for White Fang thugs. I heard something big is going down somewhere here in Vale. I… just have no idea what or where."

"You're an idiot." Blake spat out. "If you're trying to do something, at least know what you're-" the black haired girl quickly shut her own mouth. She couldn't finish her sentence, not without being a hypocrite. "Nevermind. Can you fight?"

"Wow, kinda out of the blue, don't you think?" Sun asked sarcastically, but Blake gave him a glare. "Yeah, I can fight. I _am_ known as the the Monkey King where I'm from… and that's totally not an insult!"

"Whatever. You're helping me." Blake declared, much to Sun's confusion. "Because I'm after them too, and I know where they will be."

The monkey-Faunus looked away from Blake nervously, as if scared of her proposition. The two had never met before, let alone fought together. Compared to that, Sun was already an adept fighter who, because of his experiences, was probably more skilled than she was. On top of that, he could make his own allies to fight, albeit with drawbacks. On the other hand, she appeared to have information he didn't, which would be greatly beneficial to him. However, weighing the pros and cons wasn't going to happen in the boy's brain. Leaving others out of the "fun" wasn't part of who he was. "The more the merrier" was one of his life mottos, after all.

"Alright then, let's get those goons together." Sun agreed, holding out his hand to be shaken. "You never told me your name by the way."

"...Blake"

* * *

 **Warehouse Rooftop**

* * *

About two hours before sundown, both Penny and Madara had arrived at the Northern Harbor. Or rather, one of the tallest buildings in front of the harbor.

"Is this where they will be appearing?" Penny asked while looking at Madara, who was staring down at the ground below.

"Correct." Mascara replied, taking out a paper scroll from his, "however, I have time to prepare some things. Stay here until I return." and with that, Madara vanished, causing Penny to jump back in surprise.

Though she looked, sounded, and for the most part, acted, like any other human, what went on inside her head was something much too inhuman. It was much more… organized. " _ERROR: Subject #13-1-4-1-18-1. Action: Sudden Spatial displacement - Semblance not detected - Dust not detected - Device not detected. Establishment of connection to subject FATHER... failed. reInitiating self decision routines… requesting connection to Subject #15-26-16-9-14._ "

"Yes, what is it?" another voice spoke in Penny's head. It was a man, but his voice was synthesized, as if to prevent others from identifying his identity,

" _Unit #01 to Subject #15-26-16-9-14: connection to subject FATHER has failed. Requesting information on Subject #13-1-4-1-18-1 directly._ "

"Hmm, I'm afraid that's not information I can divulge at the moment." the man admitted. "Is there anything else?"

" _...Requesting instruction..._ "

"Very well then. Watch him carefully, perhaps you will be able to learn what we cannot." and with that, the connection was cancelled, and Penny was once again, the only one in her own head.

"...have I… ever had an issue with my connection before?" Penny said to herself. "Perhaps repairs will be necessary soon."

A moment later, Madara returned to the roof, and took a seat. "Preparations are complete. Now we wait."

"I see," Penny replied, sitting down beside him. "Madara Uchiha, I wish to know. What were the pieces of paper you had in your possession, and how did you change positions so quickly, It's incredible."

"Is it?" Madara looked, puzzled. "My s-my comrade, Ruby Rose, can do the same to a certain degree."

"That may be so, but to do so without the use of aura or a semblance is a rare occurrence. There is only one recorded case of such a feat, which occurred over two hundred years ago. However, it only occurred once, and they were never seen again. It is unknown how they did this, but the fact remains that they did."

"I see, and what was the name of this individual?" Madara asked, an eyebrow raised in interest.

"Hm…" Penny hummed, putting a hand to her mouth. "They never stated their name, but according to eyewitnesses, he wore a black cloak with red clouds, and an orange mask."

"Tobi?" Madara repeated surprised. " _So, Obito was here at one point… I wonder if it was his Kamui… wait a minute,_ " his eyes suddenly widened with shock. "You said over two hundred years ago?"

"Yes, it was very long ago, predating the Great War by far. I suppose that would be surprising, as it is not taught at many schools." Penny explained.

" _Such a long amount of time… how is that possible? This must mean that time flows differently in this world, but if time dilates, how long was I travelling to and from worlds? It felt like minutes, but this means it could have been instant, or over several years. What will my world be when I return?_ " Madara wondered, gripping his fists tightly. " _No, I must regain my Rinnegan, my six paths chakra, time is of the essence._ "

"Madara?" Penny called out, catching the Uchiha's attention. "I am detec-I hear the sound of footsteps. I believe the enemy is approaching. Should we intercept?"

"No, no move is to be made until I say so." Madara declared.

"Very well."

* * *

 **2 hours later - Northern Harbor**

* * *

The sun fell as the moon rose once more. The streets were quiet, and few remained outside of their homes. Of those few included members of the criminal organization, the operatives of the White Fang, and Roman Torchwick. Four Bulkhead airships had parked mid-air, waiting to be given orders.

"Alright people, let's get this done with so we can all go home, or wherever you go when you have freetime." Roman spoke in a low voice. " _I really don't want to be here._ " he groaned quietly.

The White Fang began as instructed, picking up and moving crates of varying sizes towards the bay. They held a number of things, clothes, metals, money, but most importantly, Dust. Similar to his previous jobs, Roman was in charge of stealing Dust, but never before did he operate on this scale. It was a sudden, and unwanted, change of pace.

"Hey," a man called for Roman, who turned his head to look at the source. This wasn't an ordinary White Fang operative. He was physically larger than the others, and his mask covered his entire face. He was a lieutenant, leader of his loyal Faunus men and women. "I want a chat with you."

"Alright, what is it?" Roman asked, putting a lighter back into his pocket.

"You're human filth, why are you trying to help us? Is this some kind of trick? I _will_ cut off your head if you lie, or if I don't like your answer." he threatened, clenching one of his fists.

"Well, I can't go into exact details. Let's just say that my boss, and your boss, had an agreement. _We_ may not like each other, but like it or not, we have to work together for a while. Hopefully, we don't ever have to after this." Roman was calm, but had a forced smile on his face as he shrugged towards the man.

"The feeling is mutual." the lieutenant growled.

* * *

 **Warehouse Rooftop**

* * *

"Madara, are those the ones in control of this transaction?" Penny whispered. "Shall we engage?"

"They are, but you will do no such thing. Stay here, I will dispose of them myself." Madara commanded, standing up and drawing a kunai out of his pocket.

"Wait, Madara, on that other rooftop. There is another pair of unknown individuals. They are descending and approaching the targets."

" _White fang?_ " Madara asked, activating his Sharingan. Using the enhanced eyesight granted by his dojutsu, he could see clearly who the two were, and frowned upon the results. " _Blake… and a Faunus boy. This isn't good._ " he thought. Once again, he disappeared from the rooftop, using the Shunshin no Jutsu, and once again left his orange haired friend at a loss for words.

* * *

 **Northern Harbor**

* * *

"What the hell are you doing? That's not a leash, that's a tether! Get that back to the warehouse." Roman shouted at a confused Faunus. " _Good lord, savage animal idiots, all of th-_ " his train of thought suddenly derailed, as he heard rapid footsteps growing louder. He turned his head slowly, and saw Blake and Sun sprinting at him.

"You're going down!" Sun exclaimed, completely blowing their cover.

"Rrg, get those two!" Roman ordered, and a squadron of White Fang drew their weapons to intercept.

"Did you have to shout?" Blake asked as she brought out her katana.

"Of course, a real man fights his enemies face to face." Sun answered smiling.

"Deal with the goons, I'm going after Torchwick." Blake picked up her pace, outrunning Sun with the goal of getting to Roman. " _The White Fang shouldn't be working with humans, especially not him. I need to figure out why._ "

Unfortunately for Blake, there was one person who stood in her way, the lieutenant, wielding a large chainsaw.

"Get out of my way!" Blake demanded.

"No can do, miss. I'm under orders, and I won't be listening to deserters like you." he declared, revving his weapon's blade.

" _I don't have time for this._ " Blake thought, switching her sword into its handgun form. Reluctantly, she fired three shots at the lieutenant, but the armored vest he wore repelled them, so she returned her pistol to its sword form.

"You know, the commander talks about you an awful lot." the lieutenant commented. "He's looking for you, and he won't stop until he finds you."

"Whatever." she spat. "This is your last warning. Get out of my way, or else." she threatened.

"You know me too well.I won't back down, especially from a challenge." he stood firm, unrelenting. Honorable, but nothing more than a nuisance in her eyes. Roman was fleeing into one of the warehouses, which meant something bad. He probably had an escape vehicle waiting. If she lost him now, she would probably never get another chance. She didn't want to kill, but sometimes sacrifices had to be made. This was what she thought, that is, until she saw her fellow long black haired classmate giving chase.

" _Madara?_ " she stared blankly, before narrowly dodging a swing from the chainsaw.

* * *

 **Warehouse**

* * *

For some reason, Roman chose to leave the lights off, as he ran blindly into the dark room. If his goal was to keep his opponent blind, it wasn't going to work. Not only could someone turn the lights on, Madara's Sharingan and skills allowed for him to see clearly in the dark.

" _Why is he…_ " Madara wondered as he slowly walked slowly forward.

Suddenly, the lights switched on, but without a clear trigger. Madara jumped slightly, but remained composed. He was, however, still confused seeing what was in front of him. Roman hadn't been trying to escape using a hidden vehicle, in fact, since the lights came on, he hadn't moved. He wasn't standing and facing the entrance, waiting for an opponent, he was sitting with his legs kicked up on a desk.

"Ah, there he is!" Roman announced to an empty audience. "The one thing looking forward to since I agreed to this job. Come, have a seat." he prompted, pointing an open hand to the chair on Madara's side of the desk.

Madara remained silent, and walked towards the orange haired criminal. He didn't have any weapons on him, and even if he did, it wouldn't matter against Madara. He also kept his eyes activated, for obvious reasons. He came to the desk, and decided to accept the gesture, sitting at the chair to face Roman.

"Speak." Madara demanded in a cold tone.

"Straight to the point, eh?" Roman joked, but received no reply. "Not much of a speaker I guess."

"My friend was the diplomatic one. I am not."

"I see. Well, anyways, I'll be straightforward." Roman reached into his pocket, taking out his scroll and showed the Uchiha a video. It was a recording of Madara in action, from his spar against Yang. "I've seen you in action. You're quite a skilled fighter, but something tells me you're not really a 'protector' are you? Call it, a criminal's intuition, but I think you're more of a 'rule by strength' or 'rule by fear' kind of guy, am I close?"

"Your point being?" Madara gave no solid answer, so Roman continued.

"Well, this probably sounds ridiculous, but I have a proposition for you. My bosses are pretty powerful people. They could make the four kingdoms crumble in days. How would you like to be part of that?" Roman offered, smiling. "Stay with me here. You could have whatever you want when all is said and done. It's the winning team, after all. If you want to be a king, mold the world as you see fit, anything can be as you see fit." he declared.

Peace, plain and simple, was what Madara Uchiha had always strived for. Since he was a kid, to being the grave and back. The best part, through reading his heart rhythm, amongst other signs, Madara could tell with certainty, that this criminal was being truthful. If he was to be believed, then Madara may be able to reclaim his full power faster. He could return, determine the fate, save, his people. Better yet, he could bring peace to both worlds.

"Well played," Madara muttered to himself, to which Roman raised a confused eyebrow to. "However, I must decline."

"Are you sure about that? You can think about it and come back to me if you want." Roman asked, almost worried.

"Indeed, I am sure." Madara confirmed, standing up and out of his chair. "I don't need the help of an organization, I am powerful enough on my own. Besides, if there is an enemy that wishes to bring ruin to this world, then Madara Uchiha will eliminate them, including you."

"Well, that's unfortunate, but more for you." Roman threatened, sighing as he stood up out of his chair. "Now, if you'll excuse me I'll be taking my leave."

Madara sprang from his seat to strike Roman, but something large and pink deflected his punch. It was an umbrella, but clearly a special one given its durability.

" _What? How did I not notice that?_ " Madara thought confused, jumping back from the desk.

"Like I said, I'll be leaving. Maybe you'll change your mind. Until then, see ya later kid." Roman repeated. Suddenly, his body, or what Madara perceived as his body, and the umbrella began to form cracks. It was as if his body was made of glass, further supported when it shattered. Fragments of his body and the umbrella crumbled into fragments, which then dissolved into nothing. There wasn't any trace of his presence, leavin Madara alone.

" _A cloaking and escape-based semblance… not his, but the wielder of that umbrella's. This won't be our final confrontation, but the next time shall_." Madara thought, before he heard a series of gunshots coming from outside. "I've wasted too much time here. I must return to the battlefield."

 **END**

 **Oh yeah, in case any of you were wondering or confused, no, I didn't forget about Madara's weapon. It will either be revealed next chapter, or chapter 14, sorry.**


	13. Chapter 13: End of Part 1

**Hell Fire- well, there's a reason I do/did that. If I just handed back everything, or just kept him at max power from the beginning, there wouldn't be a story. There would be nothing, in the RWBY universe, that could fight him.**

 **The-Funeral-Pyre- I understand where you're coming from. However, I would like to say that while Roman escaped, Madara learned 3 things: 1, Roman had a partner he trusted enough to save him in a pinch. 2, Roman wasn't the true kingpin in control of everything going on, but he was only a piece of it. And 3, to some degree, what he would be up against in the future.**

 **Blinded in a bolthole- I could've, but I thought it'd have been better for the story if Madara was changed by the world around him, not just talk no jutsu. As for Roman escaping with Cinder, well, there's a certain amount of restraint a superhuman needs to take to make as little a scene as possible.**

Chapter 13

* * *

 **Northern Harbor**

* * *

Madara quickly exited the warehouse and saw Blake struggling against her larger opponent. The monkey Faunus boy was holding his own against the ever-growing number of White Fang who attacked from close to long range. To make matters worse, more Bullheads arrived on the scene, deploying more White Fang soldiers and utilizing suppressing fire from mounted turrets.

" _This could be an issue_." Madara thought, bringing his hands together and preparing to create shadow clones. However, he was suddenly brought to his knees by a sharp pain. He clutched his shut eyes with his left hand. They burned, even more violently than it ever had previously. It paralyzed the off-guard Uchiha considerably, rendering him motionless.

" _What now?_ " he growled angrily.

He didn't have time to think about it. Recovering and subduing the current threat took priority. Luckily, the pain had begun to subside, but a new feeling touched his hand. It was wet, like he had water on his eyes, but when he removed his hand from his face, what stained his fingerless black glove wasn't water, but blood. Shocked, he quickly faced one of the metal walls, using the reflective metal as a mirror. His fully matured, three tomoe Sharingan had changed. The pattern of three tomoe surrounding a black pupil was gone. Those marks transformed into three comets, connected to one another by the end of their tails. It was a design unique only to him, even in his original world. They were his and his alone. They were his Mangekyou Sharingan, the fourth step in the eyes' evolution.

" _Took long enough. They are not the Eternal Mangekyou, but they will suffice for now._ " without any further thought, Madara sprinted towards the battlefield, targeting the nearest White Fang swordsman.

"W-what?!" the faunus stumbled, noticing the Uchiha coming straight for him. He swung, but the only thing the metal blade had cut was the air. Madara had evaded the attack, and countered with a kick to the chin that launched him into the air. He fell back to the ground, about three meters from his original position and unconscious.

" _Too easy_." he smiled, turning his attention to one of the Bullheads. It turned to face him as well, and so did the mountain turret. A long stream of bullets flowed from the ship towards Madara, who was easily able to evade. As he avoided the projectiles with little difficulty, Madara passed by a building, hitting his palm against a hidden scroll he had placed beforehand. The marked paper exploded into white smoke and granted the black haired boy a dozen kunai, each with an explosive tag tied to the end of them. He threw three of the explosive tag-kunai at the aircraft. Two were intercepted, but one managed to make contact with the outer hull. The moment it did, the tag triggered a large explosion, destabilizing the ship and severely damaging the pilot and cockpit.

" _Hm, perhaps I should have used that one for experimenting. No matter, there's plenty of others_." Madara thought excitedly, imagining what he could do now that more of his visual prowess had returned. He wasn't nearly at full power yet. His eyes as they were now, mere Mangekyou Sharingan, were vulnerable to degradation through overuse. It didn't matter though, what was returned would be sufficient for the time being.

"Get the human!" another White Fang swordsman commanded, summoning over two dozen swords and guns to surround Madara. The barrels of twelve automatic firearms were pointed at the Uchiha, the other twelve were swordsmen, standing ready to charge.

" _This feels like I am being told a bad joke. They think that this amount of manpower can stop me._ " Madara thought nonchalauntly.

The swordsmen made the first move, attacking in four groups of threes, hoping to strike from one of his blind spots. Of course, it wasn't going to work. Even without the Sharingan, he still would've had no issues, but it was already too late to deactivate them. He dodged underneath two horizontal swipes and sidestepped from a downslash. He stepped back from the three, and leapt out of the circle, making a single handed sign. The White Fang were too busy watching him to notice just what he was doing. Beneath the three swordsmen that attacked first, a single hidden explosive tag detonated, blasting the formation apart. The sudden force threw them in all directions, taking them off of their feet and onto the ground.

" _Easy enough._ " Madara thought, before his own attention was suddenly caught.

"Heads up!" the monkey boy shouted, sprinting towards Madara. Following close behind him, was another stream of bullets, being generated by a bullhead. "Hey, a little help!"

Madara thought to himself for a moment, before shrugging and planting one of his feet into the ground. Increasing his physical strength with chakra, Madara kicked off of the ground and onto one of the low-roof buildings. From there, he jumped again with more force.

"Doton: Kajūgan no Jutsu" he whispered. Using the weighted boulder technique, copied from the tsuchikage of his homeworld, Madara drastically increased the weight in his fist, using the momentum from his initial takeoff to carry him towards the belly of the ship. When he had gotten within range, he threw his fist at the metal exterior with enough force to rupture the hull. Not yet done, he threw another pair of explosive tags at one of the turbines, which blew up on contact.

"Dang, that's one heck of a punch." Sun remarked, standing idly by as Madara walked towards him. Before he could congratulate his savior, he was flicked on the forehead.

"You intended to put an end to this operation, but couldn't even defeat a single bullhead." Madara scolded. "You're an idiot, plain and simple."

"Hey, I could've taken that myself. If you haven't noticed, I just got done with a bunch of white fang losers over the-oh crap!" his eyes suddenly widened as he spun his head around. Madara looked the same direction, to see Blake still engaged in combat with the lieutenant. "I gotta go h-" before Sun could finish his sentence, and act on it, Madara grabbed his shoulder and held him in place.

"That is her fight alone. She needs to finish it." he declared coldly.

"What? That's ridiculous, friends help each other no matter what." Sun protested.

"If she cannot defeat this opponent, how will she be able to topple the senior members of the terrorist organization? Will you be able to come to her side at every battle?" Madara countered. "I will repeat myself. She _needs_ to finish this battle on her own."

Sun grumbled audibly, angered both by what the black haired boy said, and how correct he was. Sun had no problem with letting Blake fight her own battles, but what he didn't like the idea of someone needlessly being in harm's way. Who would? Ultimately, Madara was right, much to the boy's dismay. But little by little, as the fight progressed in the chainsaw-wielding lieutenant's favor, Madara's words carried less and less weight.

"You know, guy, you're probably right. I won't be around all the time, but I'm around now, and that's what matters." Sun instantly regained his excited smile, gripping his staff with one hand and running towards the battle, but not before he felt a light tap on his back, and was held by the arm once more. "I'm not going to stand around, guy."

"Instead, use your semblance to assist her." Madara said, both as stoic and cryptic as ever.

"What?" Sun asked with a raised eyebrow and a suspicious frown. However, after considering it, the blonde nodded.

Sun sat on the ground, crossing his legs and putting his hands together flat, as if he was meditating, or performing a prayer of some sort. His eyes closed, and his tail curled behind him. His entire body stopped remained still, not moving a single muscle while in this position. His aura began to fluctuate, flowing from the rest of his body and towards his brain.

" _A completely still body… senjutsu?_ " Madara thought, watching the boy's aura move. " _No, there's no intake or change in his aura… then again, without natural energy myself, it would be undetectable. I wonder if…_ "

Once a sufficient amount of his aura had been relocated, the blonde hair on his head and tail began to glow brightly. To the right and left sides of him, standing up, were a pair of identical copies of him, made purely out of translucent golden light. Aside from the coloring, there were almost no differences between them and the original. They began twirling the staves around, as if trying to show off, before dashing towards the lieutenant.

Blake, noticing her incoming reinforcements, activated her own semblance, creating her own clone to absorb the strike of the oncoming chainsaw. As Blake stepped back to allow her aura to recharge, the light clones attacked. They slammed their staves against the physically large man, who blocked with his free arm. The first strike failed, one continued to push down as the other circled around to his back, thrusting multiple times at his back. The body armor on the lieutenant began to break after the repeated attacks, but withstood long enough for him to repel the front clone, and swing long towards the clone behind. The clone was clipped by the spinning blade, and exploded into a mass of evaporating light particles. As the first exploded, Sun, who had been still, winced in pain despite taking to direct damage.

" _I see, so that's your semblance. He can create a limited number of tangible clones out his aura, but when they disperse, they transfer certain experiences. Akin to the Kage Bunshin no Jutsu,_ " Madara muttered, making a mental note. "Now, listen to me, drive the remaining clone directly into Blake's back specifically. Do not ask any questions, but I can assure you this will help."

He couldn't maintain his clones without deep concentration. To consider Madara's instruction would cause the clone to disperse, leaving Blake once again, alone and vulnerable because of her depleted aura. Without many options, he was forced to agree. "Rrg, fine, but this better not go badly."

The remaining golden clone dodged another swing of the lieutenant's blade, and dashed over to Blake, who remained crouched as she recharged her aura reserves.

"What are you doing?" she asked, receiving no response. Sun's clone did as it was intended to, positioning itself behind Blake, and diving headfirst into her back. Under normal circumstances, as normal as they _could_ be, this would have resulted in an injured, very confused, and very irritated Blake. However, just as the clone made contact, it melted against and was absorbed into her back. Such a phenomena even caused the White Fang lieutenant to pause in awe.

" _This is weird, but, I feel…?_ " Blake thought, rising from the ground. Inexplicably, her aura reserves had almost been completely re-filled.

" _Perfect._ " Madara smirked triumphantly, before noticing Sun get back onto his feat.

"So what the hell did we just do?" Sun asked cluelessly. "Did her back eat my clone?"

"So to speak… look at her back," Madara instructed, making another hand sign. As Sun fixed his eyes on Blake, he soon noticed a weird white rectangle attached to her back, covered in black symbols and characters foreign to him. It appeared completely out of nowhere, probably owned by Madara. "What is _that_?"

"The key to her victory." Madara answered, continuing to watch the battle.

Blake, now with her second win, sharpened her eyes on the target, switching her sword to its gun form and firing repeatedly as she advanced at a rapid pace. After the second magazine was emptied, Blake switched her weapon back into a katana, and sprinted at the lieutenant. Having his own aura further drained from the volley of bullets, he acted frantically, thrusting and swinging the chainsaw in the hopes of catching her. Of course, it was a futile attempt. Blake no longer felt any fatigue from her aura depletion, and was able to strike at the openings in his form. By this time, she had already adapted to his patterns. She danced around him, attacking from front, the sides, behind, and tearing through his armor and aura alike.

"C'mere!" the lieutenant grunted, trying to grab Blake by an arm or a leg, but she slipped right through, getting underneath him and delivering a kick to the weak point of every man. The large Faunus immediately froze, his deep voice letting out a faint and light pitched squeal. His aura was completely shattered from the experience. In moments, both he and his chainsaw fell to the ground, side by side.

Blake, victorious, slowly turned to see both Sun and Madara watching, one of the two boys had an expression of pride, terror, and disappointment rolled into one.

"What?" Blake asked, not understanding the reaction.

"I mean, you won and all, but that was kind of unfair." Sun explained. "You don't hit a guy there, it's just not a thing you do. It goes against the unspoken guy rules of a fair fight."

"A fair fight against a stronger person with a chainsaw?" Blake stared dumbfoundedly, putting away her katana, to which Sun shrugged dismissively. "Wait, Madara, what are you doing here?" However, it wasn't time to relax just yet.

While the leaders had fallen and fled, the foot soldiers and the calvary remained. Over a dozen bullheads with mounted turrets had arrived and began dropping squadrons of White Fang around the three. But basic infantry weren't the only reinforcements. The last two to touchdown didn't wear standard armor, but they still both wore grimm masks, One had red-black hair, wore full black with red designs, with a katana holstered on one side. The other had dull gray hair, slightly darker than Ozpin's, and wore a combination of black and silver-blue, but no visible weapon.

"Nobody move!" Adam commanded, and the large crowd of his subordinates created a gap to allow passage for him.

"A… Adam?" Blake stuttered, visibly intimidated by the mere sight.

"Hello again, my dear." Adam greeted, restraining his tone as if he was about to scream or shout. "At last, we meet again."

"How… why are you here?!" Blake demanded

"They must have sent a distress signal, and reported your presence." Madara explained. "He must have come specifically for you, Blake."

"No, not just my love." Adam corrected, unsheathing his crimson bladed sword. "Madara Uchiha, I finally know your name. I haven't forgotten what you did on the train, and I've come for revenge. I'm going to destroy everything you know and love, and then I'm going to kill you slowly. But if you can beat me, then none of you will have to die just yet."

"Hm, not a bad setup, Adam Taurus, I wonder if your arrival was apart of the plan to begin with. Perhaps to lure Blake and me out so you could force us into a disadvantageous position Very well then, I accept your challenge." Madara smiled, cracking his knuckles and reaching into his pocket. "Show me how well you dance now."

The two dark-clad men stepped forward, the rest of Adam's forces creating a large ring around the four. With his Mangekyou Sharingan still activated, he could end this immediately, a punch from his susanoo would be more than enough, but that wouldn't be very fun for either of them. Madara stood firm, goding Adam to attack first. He took the offer, and rushed at Madara, swinging the sword at speeds that could put a huntsman on the defensive. Madara dodged almost every slash, using a kunai to block any he had to.

" _He's faster than before… no, it's not him, it's something else, what could it be?_ ".Madara mused as he blocked. " _no matter, this isn't any different from our first battle. He's just wildly swinging, no form or posture, only a small increase to his strength._ "

The more and more that the two weapons had clashed, Adam's katana glew a brighter and brighter red, as if it was absorbing the kinetic energy from the clashes. It that was the case, his semblance was likely similar to Yang's, but it added to his weapon instead of his personal strength. This also revealed a glaring weakness about the Faunus Terrorist..

"Quit screwing around with me!" Adam screamed, infuriated by the lack of success on his part and the lack of effort on his opponent's. "I will not have you looking down on me, on us, anymore! Men, kill the monkey, capture Blake!" he commanded, and his soldiers followed, charing at the exhausted pair. However, before they could make contact, and swallow up Blake and Sun like a tidal wave, there was a sound of thunder, two sounds of thunder.

"Hey!" a high pitched voice followed like an aftershock, beckoning for everyone's attention. Standing above the conflict were three warriors, shining under the moonlight. Silver, lavender, and sapphire blue eyes peered down at the White Fang with glares that could kill a normal man.

"Don't come any closer to my- _our_ teammate." Ruby demanded, pointing Crescent Rose at the enemy in its rifle form.

"Or you'll have to face our wrath." Yang followed, hitting her gauntlets together, reddening her eyes, and igniting the golden glow of her hair.

"For the sake of my friends and my own reputation, and in the name of the Schnee family, I can't allow someone hurt my teammates, much less the militaristic scum like the White Fang." Weiss declared, spinning the barrel contained within the hilt of her rapier.

"What?! There's more?" Adam fumed in confusion, almost growling at the three.

" _Just in time. Team RWBY has been reunited_ " Madara smiled, looking at his scroll and reading the time, which in bright white letters read 9:00. "You three, protect Blake and the blonde monkey Faunus, eliminate the fodder." he commanded. Ruby, Yang, and Weiss simultaneously dropped to ground level and, thanks to Weiss' Glyphs, they created a small gravity barrier around Blake and Sun.

"Save your energy, you two. Leave this to us." Yang said, winking to the two.

"Damnit… damnit damnit damnit!" Adam cursed. "You… Madara, this was your doing!"

"Of course, it would be stupid to execute a plan without contingencies." Madara replied, putting away the scroll just in time to block another swipe. This strike, in particular, was many times more powerful than the others were. More interestingly, the blade immediately dimmed, until it emanated no glow. That didn't stop the Faunus from continuing his attack. He launched another flurry of slashes, until his arm was suddenly gripped by Madara's.

"I've grown bored of this." Madara taunted disappointingly. He held up a single sign with his free hand, causing countless lines of black shinobi characters to wrap around Adam's arm which spread to the rest of his body..

" _What? I… I can't move!_ " he struggled helplessly.

With Adam immobilized, Madara tossed an explosive tag onto one of Adam's legs, and stepped back. It detonated at point blank range, dealing significant damage to his leg. Adam screamed in pain, before the characters disappeared and gravity pulled him to his knees. When the explosion went off, team RWBY and the White Fang paused and turned to see Madara, standing above the latter's leader on the ground.

"You won't be able to walk for a considerable amount of time, but it isn't permanent. Know that I could have killed you at any point, but I didn't. I have already sent a message to the authorities. Not just the local police, but the national guard, and a fleet of airships will be here in shortly to arrest you. You and the rest of the criminals here will be going to prison, and judged by the families of your victims." Madara explained.

"Always, you humans look down on us. This transaction could have helped thousands, millions of Faunus all around the world. Without it, Grimm will slaughter innocence, all because of you! But you're mistaken if you think I'll ever give up. I promise you, while I'm still alive, I will do anything, everything in my power to destroy you, no matter what it takes to achieve my goals, I will succeed!" Adam said, his red blade still glowing with energy.

"Hm?" Madara grunted, suddenly jumping a meter back and straightening his back into a passive posture. "Is that truly what you believe? No, that's what you justify yourself with." he said coldly, without a hint of remorse resting between his blood-red eyes. "You and your followers, your entire organization is nothing more than a group of thugs, who find it easier to blame others for your own shortcomings. You murder and steal from innocent humans, and for Faunus? You claim to fight for your kind but think nothing of those who don't support you in arms. Your organization is laughable, as is your leadership and skill."

"And what can you do?" Adam demanded. "Do you think you can save the world, bring equality to everyone? Remove prejudice, hatred, and death? You think you're some kind of hero or something?"

" _Hero?_ " Madara paused, an idea slowly coming to his mind. " _Hn, not as grand a title as Savior, and my world labelled me as a monster… but if this world is in dire need of salvation, then i am by all means, the Hero._ " he smirked at the idea, almost excited by his own imagination. "Team RWBY, we are leaving."

"Uhh… what about me?" Sun asked, slightly anxious about the answer.

"Do as you please." Madara ordered.

"Kay."

* * *

 **Warehouse Rooftop**

* * *

"So, did you obtain the results you wished for?" the voice of the distorted man asked.

"Partially. It is similar, but his energy source is not Aura, that is for certain. Based on the data I have collected, he can use this substance to alter his own weight, cause designated paper to release significant explosive force, and paralyze individuals through contact." Penny explained.

"is there any chance, with our resources, that we could replicate this substance and use it to the same degree?"

"...not possible. this substance is completely unique, and can only be detected to to the small similarities it has to aura. although... it seems that as he utilizes it, the released substance does not return to his own body... I have a request. I wish to learn-to know more about him." she asked.

"I see… well, luck is on your side this night. I will make a few suggestions to accommodate. I will see you soon. For now, return to headquarters to be debriefed. You've done quite well."

"Understood. Thank you, Professor."

 **END**


	14. Chapter 14

**May525- well tbf, he** _ **is**_ **Madara Uchiha. Even Konoha's creation and the war between Senju and Uchiha ended, people were scared off by Madara's blank stare alone, which Hashirama seemed to laugh at. I don't remember the filler ep, but it was shortly after the formation of Konoha. Then again, that could've just been people knowing who he was… oh well.**

Chapter 14

* * *

 **Principal's Office**

* * *

"Mr. Uchiha, thank you for coming on short notice." Ozpin said calmly, clasping his hands together as he looked up at the black haired student.

"What is it that you wished to speak to me about?" Madara cut straight to the chase, not wanting to waste time..

"As you probably know, there was an incident last night involving the White Fang. supposedly, over sixty members, including the infamous Adam Taurus, were apprehended with little resistance. According to local authorities, they received an anonymous tip about the operation, as well as several witnesses reporting a group of five unknown individuals fleeing prior to the arrests. I assume this was your doing, and Team RWBY's?"

"Do you plan to punish or expel us?"

"Not at all. In fact, I'm quite impressed. You and a single team of first years have accomplished in doing what the authorities, local and international, have failed to. I would like to congratulate the five of you properly, as it would also be greatly beneficial to our public image, but your actions were unauthorized, and therefore shouldn't be considered associated to our school. Nonetheless, Vale thanks you for your courage. With this victory, fear over the White Fang, as well as the crime rate, should be lowering soon." Ozpin explained, lifting up his coffee mug to Madara as a sign of gratitude.

"I see. Is that all?" The Uchiha asked, preparing to turn and leave.

"No, there is another piece of information I think you'd like to hear. It was unexpected, even for me, but we will be receiving a transfer student from across the seas. Unfortunately, all teams of four have been formed, so as such, they will be your partner. I trust that you have no objections?" Ozpin raised an eyebrow towards the boy, who shook his head.

"As long as they do not get in the way. I would much rather prefer those who can keep up with me as best as possible." Madara conditioned.

"I can assure you, you will not have to worry about that. I have faith that you will be pleasantly surprised… That is all, you will meet them before first period ends tomorrow. Have a good day, Mr. Uchiha." Ozpin said.

Madara nodded and turned towards the elevator, pressing the button and entering the cylindrical chamber to descend. " _A partner… brings back a few memories._ " Madara smiled genuinely. " _I wonder what Hashirama would be saying. He always called me a 'loner' before. When I return, if he is still there, I may just bring him here to laugh… If, of course._ "

* * *

 **Hallway**

* * *

As Madara walked down the long corridor towards his room, he paused see Jaune, standing against the wall facing his door. Staring would be the more appropriate word, as the blonde seemed fixated on Madara's room. In his hand, visible to the Uchiha, appeared to be a piece of clean folded white paper, probably intended for Madara in some manner. After another ten seconds, Jaune moved closer and knocked on the door.

"Hey, are you in there, Madara?" Jaune called out, oblivious to the truth standing just a few meters from him. Receiving no answer, the boy sighed, and walked backwards to his previous spot. "Maybe he's still asleep… no, that doesn't seem like him. I'm beginning to think he's not even in his room, but then where would he be?"

"Hello, Jaune." Madara said, startling the team leader something fierce. After recovering quickly from his shock, Jaune recomposed himself and cleared his throat, trying to act as if nothing had happened.

"Hey there, Madara." he chuckled nervously. "So I guess you weren't in your room after all… Man, what a pity..."

"How long were you there?" Madara asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Umm… I'd like to say only about five minutes, but I've been here for fifteen." he admitted sorrowfully. "But now that you're here, I have some stuff to talk to you about. Do you have the time?" Jaune looked hopeful.

"...very well, but we shall do so in private." Madara agreed, walking closer, turning to his room door, unlocking, and opening it.

For someone as mysterious, stoic, and all around unique as Madara was, Jaune expected his room to be highly modified. Considering his combat knowledge, he almost expected there to be heads mounted on his walls, or a small armory fully stocked. What he was _not_ expecting, was to see the Uchiha's room be completely ordinary. More accurately, the room looked untouched, as if nobody had used it or even stepped foot into it, let alone used it. Unlike team RWBY, who created bunk beds and filled the room with random assortments of personal preferences, Madara's room was clean. There were no pictures, posters, not even a speck of dust seemed to contaminate this almost sterilized room. The only proof that Madara had ever even been in the dorm room, was a pyramid of paper scrolls, of which Jaune dared not touch. There was a myriad of feelings that he could feel just by looking at them, all of which weren't positive to say the least.

"Wow, we should hire you for cleanup when Nora gets rowdy." Jaune commented to himself, being ignored by Madara completely.

"Now, what was it that you wanted to talk to me about." Madara turned to face Jaune, staring at him with his coal black eyes. " _Those eyes… pure blue… they remind me of a certain nuisance._ "

"Oh, yes, uh" Jaune paused, but then cleared his throat. "Well, first, I'd like to say thank you."

"For what?" Madara asked.

"For helping me with Cardin that one time. During that time, I had sort of an inferiority complex, but since you saved my butt, my whole team has been giving me a lot of training and tips in fighting. I'll be honest, it's… a work in progress, but everyone's been supporting me a lot, especially Pyrrha, so I can't give up just yet." Jaune said sheepishly, scratching the back of his head. "That's all from me. There's also this." Unravelling the scroll, the blonde handed the single piece of paper. "This is a letter from Ren I think. He told me to bring it with me and give it to you when I saw you, but I have no idea what it says."

Madara took the scroll from Jaune, and stared at the writing on the paper. There was only a single sentence written in small yet neat letters, which suited the quiet nature of the boy. Out of the many huntsmen and huntresses in training, Lie Ren was undoubtedly the closest to a shinobi. He was analytical, composed, flexible, strategic, and cooperative. All were sought after traits in any situation, combat or not. Grunting in acknowledgement, Madara pocketed the piece of paper, before looking back up to face Jaune.

"Is that all?" Madara asked.

"Y-yeah, that's all I had to say." Jaune answered. "I guess I'll be going now. Have a good day, Madara." he said, turning the knob and leaving the room.

" _Pyrrha Nikos… the 'invincible girl' was it? Quite the title, and yet I have not once seen her fight outside of grimm. I don't believe I have seen her semblance either. I would like to witness her in action. Perhaps I will challenge her during Professor Goodwitch's class another day. The festival would be far too long to wait._ " Madara thought, smiling expectantly. Suddenly, there was another knocking on his door. " _Him again?_ " the black haired boy grabbed and pulled open the room door, expecting an embarrassed blonde boy. Instead, what laid in wait on the other side of the door was a familiar girl with short orange hair and green eyes.

"Salutations!" Penny exclaimed, raising a single arm high into the air.

"What are you doing here?" Madara said skeptically, almost defensively.

"Oh, were you not informed? I was transferred here from Atlas. Starting today, I will be your new partner. It is a pleasure to be working with you, Madara." Penny explained.

" _So this is what Ozpin was speaking about. I'll admit, I had guesses, but for this to happen, and so quickly, I can't help but think this was planned. He continues to catch me off guard. I will have to investigate further. With my eyes, it should be of no issue_. _For now, there's nothing to be done._ " Madara decided, moving out of the way and allowing Penny to enter.

"Amazing! I haven't seen a dorm room this well kept." Penny complimented Madara, eagerly looking in every nook and cranny of the room. "How do you prevent contaminants this efficiently?"

"Nothing in particular. I simply clean often, and don't use the facilities of this room for any purpose other than sleeping. It serves me no other purpose." Madara explained,

"I see. Practicality _is_ the most important…" for another five seconds, Penny seemed to stare at the farmost right corner, on the opposite side of the room as Madara's bed. "I was led to believe each room had at least four beds. Have they been disposed of?" Penny asked Madara, who then walked towards the pyramid of scrolls. Carefully removing one from the third layer and opening the paper, he tossed it onto the ground, revealing a set pattern of black characters and letters, similar to the rest. The scroll exploded in a massive cloud of white smoke thick enough to obscure even Penny's vision. When the smoke cleared, another bed laid where the scroll used to be, as if it was teleported to that position. Such technology, even with the most intelligent minds in Remnant, still remained in the realm of fantasy.

"Amazing! Those scrolls must create and store objects within miniature pocket dimensions. To generate and maintain the required ene-ergy to theoretically perform such a feat is completely unheard of, even as a c-concept!" Penny explained to herself, becoming more and more interested as the seconds went by.

"It's much less complex than you make it out to be, Penny." Madara corrected. "There is no use of any other dimensions. They're simply linked and summoned via the seals inscribed on the scrolls. In other words, they are stored somewhere else until called upon for use. I use the same method for all of my belongings, such as my weapon." he explained, using his finger to draw an imaginary seal into the air. " _If it were the use of dimensional travel, I wouldn't even still be here._ "

"You're weapon… actually, I do not believe I have ever seen your weapon, even during the espionage mission the other day." Penny pointed out. "May i see yours now?"

"Hmm, since you are my new partner, I shall let you see it." Madara pulled out a small piece of unrolled paper from his pocket, with its own pattern of black markings. Just as the bed scroll did, this small paper exuded white smoke, which eventually faded, to reveal what appeared to be a staff with a rounded tip, approximately a meter and a half in length.

"Oh? Quite a… peculiar weapon, Madara?" Penny attempted to describe. "I did not expect for this to be your choice in armed combat. I would have predicted a lightweight firearm, or a pair of short blades for close quarters combat."

"This is merely a collapsed form, though it doesn't seem imposing, that is the point. Perhaps during tomorrow's assignment. You will get to witness its combat form. You _will_ be joining me as a partner, correct?"

"Affirmative. We have been instructed to meet with Professor Peter Port at the Vale Transit station for… currently unknown reasons. We are also advised to bring only our essential items, and 'have our wills written and our moustaches stowed' as he described in his email."

"Indeed. Based on the information, it seems that this might be an actual challenge. I suggest getting as much sleep as you can. I will not allow for you to perform any less than your best." Madara declared, turning off the lights and walking straight to his bed. " _Not that a machine requires human rest._ "

"Understood." Penny replied, approaching her own bed.

* * *

 **Next Day - Transit station**

* * *

"Huzzah! All students accounted for, splendid!" Professor Port exclaimed heartily, looking out upon his entire class. "Now class, thank you for all being here today. It would be terribly unfortunate if anyone had been absent. Just the thought of such an event occurring is almost enough to bring a man such as I to tears!"

"Umm, Professor Port?" Ruby said with a raised hand.

"Yes, Ms. Rose?"

"Why are we in front of a bunch of trains?" she asked with a puzzled look. "I mean, isn't a field trip a little too early?"

Professor Port was well known amongst the entire student body for his, _unorthodox_ , teaching style. One day, he would be telling a story about his "past" with varying degrees of credibility. Another day, the man would be grooming his own mustache before class even began. On more productive days, he'd have a student or two demonstrate their skill in combat, or lecture over certain types of the creatures of grimm. Regardless of whatever was going to happen each day, it would always take place within the boundaries of the classroom. However, none of the first years had expected to be outside of class like this.

"Good question, and now I shall reveal to you all the truth. Listen carefully, because this will only be relayed one time. For the past few weeks of your stays at the illustrious Beacon Academy, as first years, you have lived a relatively normal combat school life. This will be your first official 'project' as it were. Now as you can see," Port explained, pointing to four different trains with the same destination. "These trains have been reserved for us, and will take us to a newly discovered region, vastly different from the forest your initiation took place in. Through random selection, this class will be separated into four groups, and board the four trains. Needless to say, it is very likely that you will not be with your entire team for the duration of this assignment. The trains will stop at four different entrances to our destination. With a time duration of one full week, your objective is to reunite with your team and reach the northern station. Before you return though, I would highly suggest that you and your teams obtain three of twenty seven hidden items, a gold, silver, and obsidian statuette. All students are permitted combat between yourselves, and teams may collect as many sets as they wish to. Of course, murder is not permitted."

"Um, Professor Port." Weiss chimed in. "You said that each team must obtain three items, out of twenty seven, which would mean there are nine total sets. Since there are twelve teams in our class, shouldn't there be twelve sets?" She looked with a slight hint of worry in her face.

"Right you are, Miss Schnee!" Professor Port confirmed. "There are indeed, twelve teams and only nine sets. You see, there is a _slight_ catch to this assignment. The team, or teams, that fail to complete the objective, shall be **expelled** upon return." he declared, in a terrifyingly cold tone.

The class erupted, shouting in confusion and voicing their views against this assignment. However, Professor Port heard none of it. Coughing into his hand, he waited until the rowdier students calmed and quieted, waiting reluctantly to allow him to continue.

"Students, understand that it is my last wish for any of you young huntsmen and huntresses to be, to lose your place. After all, you have all trained for years just to be here. However, as a professional huntsmen I can tell you, with certainty, that the true fields of battle will never be merciful. There will be times in which you must face opponents that are fellow human or Faunus, just as dangerous if not more. You must fight with everything you have, or face certain destruction. That is the goal of this assignment. Fret not, students. All you must worry about is completing the _objective_ , nothing more."

" _So this is your true self, Port. I have underestimated you._ " Madara thought, impressed by the sudden change in this seemingly foolish man's attitude. " _To both weed out and protect the weak simultaneously can be a difficult process. This way, the unqualified students will be able to return to civilian lives… as they should_."

"Now, without further ado, we will begin the randomization process. Those shown under the numbers one through four, proceed to the respectively-labelled train cars… oh yes, before we begin, there is one more piece of information I should bestow upon you. As I said, some of these statuettes are hidden within the environment. These items were hidden by, and some are carried on the persons of, second year volunteer teams. They can choose of their own accord whether to assist you, hinder, or do nothing during your mission. That is all. Please begin heading to your trains."

As the large crowd began to shuffle, the members of Team RWBY, JNPR, Madara, and Penny, gathered together to give their farewells.

"Well, good luck you guys." Ruby said.

"Pft, we'll be fine~" Nora claimed optimistically. "I mean, look at us. We got the Invincible Girl, a ninja, I can bench five of me, and our leader Jaune! We'll get together and find our figurines in no time. I'd say it's you guys who should watch your backs." she teased.

"We'll do just fine, maybe even fast than you will." Yang challenged.

"Ohohoho, you're on Yang."

"Good luck, Pyrrha." Weiss said, holding her hand out.

"Likewise, Weiss. I hope Team RWBY will avoid expulsion." Pyrrha replied, shaking Weiss' hand with hers.

"Hey, Madara, who's that?" Ruby asked, glancing at the ever-curious Penny. "Is she a new friend?"

"Salutations, my name is Penny. I am a new transfer, and the partner of Madara Uchiha. What is your name?" Penny greeted happily.

"Oh, hello Penny. My name is Ruby Rose." Ruby returned the greet. "So you're my brother's new teammate?" she looked at Madara, with wide grin spread across her face. "I thought he was gonna be a loner again. Thank goodness he's not. Keep him company, okay?"

"You can count on me!" Penny exclaimed.

" _My intuition was right_." Madara thought. " _I'm almost restless over this new mission. We shall see who does and does not deserve to become a huntsmen._ "

As the crowd of classmates thinned and thinned, and as teams were broken to board the different trains, the large monitor that directed each student finally made its way to the ten. Amongst many others, Jaune, Nora, and Blake were directed to Train One. Yang and Ren were to board Train two. Penny and Ruby were to join other classmates on Train Three. Finally, Pyrrha, Weiss and Madara were the last to join Train Four.

"Good luck everyone, make sure to make it back in one piece and sets of figurines." Yang commanded with a smug grin.

"Do you even need to say something as obvious as that?" Weiss asked sarcastically, turning to her temporary teammates. " _I suppose this isn't all bad. Madara's rather quiet like Blake, but I have seen his combat prowess before from those sparring matches against Yang and Ruby. Though, those White Fang jerks got in the way of me seeing him fight, anything could have happened. Pyrrha, on the other hand, man I wish I could've had her on our team from the beginning. I wonder if I can convince her of that too if I show my stuff enough. That's it! If I can save her and her team from expulsion, she'll be super grateful! Even if we're not on the same team, we can still be great friends._ "

"Schnee, your smirk." Madara lifted a finger from his crossed arms to point out the rather wicked smile she inadvertently had.

" _I have an uneasy feeling that this will not go smoothly…_ " Pyrrha grimaced. " _Nevertheless, we must prevail. I can't disappoint my team members and friends. I only hope they will be able to manage separated._ "

* * *

 **Unknown Location**

* * *

"Now that I have gone through all of the trouble of finding you, and allowing you to live. You will tell me this so called 'prophecy'."

"...very well… there is One tale of Ten demons. Nine beasts and one man. Ten tails to Nine minds gathered to one. One journey with ten thousand miles, one man, one goal. From three eyes to two, all will be one. Broken worlds… in one united. It was the Decree of Fate, pantheons foretold of a second story: the witches and wizards will be hunted. The flowers will wilt or sprout. The ice will melt or water will freeze. Great flames will starve and fade, or embers will set ablaze. Denizens of shadows will hide no more, brought to light exposing their core. Through word or through hand, all beasts will bow or stand. One god shall rise from a world in limbo. All power, complete dominion, as creation and destruction intertwine, will be unto them alone."

"Hm, is that so? If this is the legend exactly, then only I may be called 'god', and _he_ will see without a shadow of a doubt that I have won… I have no more use for you, any last words?"

"...Witch."

 **END**


	15. Chapter 15

**Next Chappy- I don't know what you're referring to, but it's probably better than what I've come up with.**

 **Oh yeah, and for anyone who was unhappy with Roman (and Neo) escaping Madara, there is a reason that they were able to escape. The reason? It'll be revealed at a later point. Let's just say, there's a little thing about Neo that's special, but she's not unique.**

Chapter 15

* * *

 **Hidden Facility - Vacuo**

* * *

"So, what do you think?" a man wearing black and a white sleeved shirt asked, lighting a new cigar in his mouth. "Pretty impressive, if I do say so myself."

"Not too shabby, but I think it could use a bit more color." a man with bright orange hair critiqued. "Other than that, I like the sleek style… this thing _works_ right? It won't end up like the first ten models did, right?" he asked half serious-half joking.

"I can assure you, this suit has finished all field tests. Thanks to the information, the footage, and the _vast_ amount of dust you provided us with, we were able to equip this armor with combat abilities both offensive and defensive. It's easily superior to anything those Atlas tech junkies could figure out. You'll see when you use it. You could mow down a legion with the guns, and tear apart buildings with your hands, and survive the crash. That is, after you pay for it, of course. It better not be counterfeit this time, Torchwick." he glared irritably.

"Yeah yeah," Roman dismissed, reaching into his pocket and bringing out a dozen lien cards. After passing over the stack to his business partner, he stepped closer and closer to the object of his interests that hung before him. "Neo, what do you think?"

Behind him, stood a petite figure mostly covered by the thick shadows. The individual, one of only three people within the room, gave a thumbs up with a short smile in affirmation. Whether or not the criminal could see it, or if he simply knew the answer beforehand, didn't matter to him. Empty gestures were one of his specialties anyways. Putting his hand on the suit, Roman smiled gleefully, as if he was holding a massive diamond or statue of gold. In fact, what was before him, was far more valuable. It could provide him with something the riches of the world couldn't. It would give him the thing he wanted above all else.

"By the by, what exactly is with that thing, and why doesn't it ever speak? I feel like it'd have a pretty decent voice… also what was that beep sound?" the man asked.

"That _thing_ is my partner, and is a _she_." Roman corrected glaring sharply with discontent. "She isn't a talker, as in she can't speak. Explaining why would be bad for me and her, so I won't. All we're here for is the suit, you've been paid enough?"

"handsomely."

"Then we'll be leaving." Roman said, "Have it ready for transport and Load it into our vehicle. Don't scratch the paint job on it though."

* * *

 **Train Two Destination**

* * *

The large steel train, powered by dusts of all kinds, came to a slow stop at the northeastern entrance to their assignment. So little information on the location was given, that students might as well have gone in completely blind. All they knew was that it was "newly discovered" which meant its contents prevented it from being designated by any common names, such as the blood red trees of the Forever Fall. Upon first sightings, even the huntsmen and huntresses-to be were frozen in awe. Put simply, it was a forest, just like any other, populated with trees, small critters, grass, and the like. Less simple, was the bizarre combination of colors that covered the landscape.

It is common knowledge that if pure white light were shone through a clear triangular prism, the light would fracture and split into six separate colors: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet. The grove that they faced was practically the physical embodiment of that effect. Along with the green, which was typical for plant life, the leaves and grass within this forest were dyed in every color. Several patches on the ground were not just green, but bright red, blue, and yellow. Not a single tree looked uniform to another. Random patterns adorned every inch of every spot of the forest. It was otherworldly, inexplicable by science, a work of art in some ways.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we have arrived at your destination. Please exit the cars now." the conductor announced, opening the side doors of the train.

"I guess this is the place." Yang remarked, putting her hands on her waist. "what do you think?" she asked the green-clad boy beside her.

"it certainly is unlike what I have ever seen." He answered, stoic as could be. "it looks like obscure art more than a real place."

"you can say that again. Kind if looks like a rainbow threw up anywhere. Anywho, we should start looking for our teams."

"Would it not be wiser to collect the statues beforehand? If we cannot find them now, our chances to will be slimmer later on. Worst case scenario, neither of our teams can complete the objective." Ren suggested, "I believe the week-long limit is because the statues are next to impossible to find, so we should spend as much time as we can."

"Bu~t that also means that if we have more people searching,we'll have better chances, right?" Yang quickly countered. "Getting to our teams should be at the top of our to do lists."

"Yes, but I'm sure that almost everyone else has that same mindset, which means that they will be more focused on finding each other, giving us better chances to find the statues while the rest of the teams struggle to locate one another." Ren continued to explain, "I trust that my team will… or at least Pyrrha, will have no issues."

"...fair enough, we'll do things your way." Yang relented. "Let's get going then, Ren." she said as she took the first steps towards the forest.

" _Well, she's more reserved than Nora is, I guess. I wonder how she is doing…_ " he wondered, following after the blonde ball of sunshine.

* * *

 **Blake, Nora, and Jaune**

* * *

Just as the others had, the first train's line had ended twenty meters from the outskirts of the forest. Albeit, it arrived sooner than the others, allowing its passengers to exit and enter first. Blake, Nora, and Jaune, were among the passengers and some of the first to embark on their scavenger hunt. Nora, to the surprise of both Blake and her team leader, didn't appear to display any negative signs from being separated from her "partner". Aside from the bathroom and the current assignment, there wasn't ever a moment where the two were separate. Arguably, they could have seen each other more often than some husbands and wives did. Blake was quiet, of course, and didn't seem to be fazed by the lack of teammates around her she was the only person in team RWBY to board the first train, compared to team JNPR, with their two. Jaune, being the "man" he is, was hanging in there best he could.

"This place looks ridiculous." Nora commented as the three walked through the trees. "No form, no style, heck, even I paint better than this."

"Nora, you don't even use paintbrushes. You punch the canvas with paint on your hands." Jaune remarked.

"It's still better than this though!" Nora exclaimed back.

" _This is my company…_ " Blake thought, grimacing at the realization she repeated every so often. "This is stupid, _I want this to be over with as soon as possible._ " she complained to herself. Blake was the team's quiet character. She wasn't talkative nor did she associate herself with talkative people. While Yang and Ruby could be energetic, they had some level of restraint, and their fighting abilities kept them out of the "useless" category. Unfortunately, the two she was now stuck with for reasons unknown, were both unhinged and useless to her. Actually, why _was_ she staying with them?

"I'm leaving, good luck on finding your team and statues." Blake said, preparing to depart to Jaune's surprise.

"But wa-" Jaune was about to try and stop the black-clad girl, but his voice was superceded by another, yet unrecognized.

"Bad idea to go alone, especially here." the voice of a young man echoed around the three, putting them on the defensive as they drew their swords and hammer.

"As a group, you're stronger. Alone, you may just get a little time to regret your decision before being torn apart." another boy's voice joined the fray.

"Hey, show yourselves!" Nora demanded, putting her finger on the trigger of her grenade launcher hammer.

"Sure." suddenly, following the rapid rustling of the trees from all around them, were the bodies of two people. They touched down, revealing their—less than intimidating—clothing choices. One of the boys had black hair, wore a dull pink hoodie, jeans and brown leather shoes. His hands were wrapped in golden gloves that looked like they were made of actual gold, which made little sense. The other boy wore black pants, a gray long sleeve shirt, goggles atop his head and a long red scarf. The most eye catching part of him, especially to blake, was the pair of brown cat ears attached to his head, poking out of his—just as brown—hair.

"Who are you?" Jaune asked timidly. "You guys… aren't part of the first years. That means that!"

"Yup, we're some volunteering second years. You must be the newbies." the Faunus boy smiled playfully. "Nice to meet ya, I'm Neko. that over there is Kerry."

"Kari!" the black haired boy corrected. "Excuse his accent, he's not originally from Vale. My name is Karituo. More importantly, just as Neko said, we're second year students and were asked to join in the fun. The warning was real by the way. It's a terrible idea to go in alone, even for some of the professional expedition teams." he explained in a serious tone. "Don't worry though, we're not here to fight you, just to observe and give some advice. Maybe another time we'll get to cross swords… or hammers, something like that."

"Wait a minute, you hid some of the statues, right?" Jaune spoke up.

"Nah, we didn't. Our other teammates did. We know where they are, but we can't tell you. It'd defeat the point of this test. Is there anything else you'd like to know?"

"Karituo Luster." Blake said, revealing the black haired boy's full name. "I remember your name, you're the heir to the Luster Industries, the most powerful industrial construction and production organization, larger than even the Schnee Dust Company in export and market value. You were in an interview three years ago with your father." Kari nodded, confirming the girl's claim to the surprise of both Jaune and Nora.

"Wow, I thought I'd only meet one person with rich parents this year." Nora commented, collapsing her hammer and putting it away.

"Well in my defense, my parents are rich, but I don't live off of them. I have my own shared and stocks in the market. That money helped me get a lot of combat practice, and after a long trail of pain, Beacon." Kari explained. "It was worth it though, life in Atlas was extremely boring, unfulfilling, and too dull for me."

"He's just a lonely guy." Neko interjected with his usual smile to his team member.

"Um, excuse me." Jaune raised his hand meekly, prompting the two to turn their attention to the blonde. "I hope I'm not asking too much, but can you tell us anything about this place? I've never heard of it before."

"Yeah, me neither, and me and Ren have been all over the planet." Nora concurred.

"We didn't get a lot of info. Port only told us about our directions with your field trip, like the statues and stuff. All we know is that this was once a normal forest. It got all color-y about ten years ago, or was it nine?" Neko slightly fell into a trance, as he propped his chin up by his hand and muttered to himself. "Kari, do you know?"

"It was nine." Kari confirmed. "Nobody knows why, it just started changing little by little. The same thing happened to a lot of the wildlife. Animals got weird colors, Grimm got more vicious and stronger. Some science guys say it was caused by dust radiation or some type of pollution, but nothing was ever confirmed. Its mystery is probably what made the teachers want to use it."

"That sounds like a terrible idea." Jaune complained. "Monsters are awful, why go to places where they're even worse?"

"For the fun of it!" Neko answered energetically, almost jumping in place. "The bigger they are, the more exciting it is to kill them!"

" _He sounds like Ruby._ " Blake thought, remembering how strangely murder-eager Ruby always seemed to be when it came to Grimm. Despite being their leader, and a future huntress, she always treated the act of protecting humans from the soulless creatures as more of a game or adventure than a backbreaking job. " _Nine years… what could have possibly happened nine years ago to cause such a rapid change?_ "

"Well, we'll be off now, some people are getting close to one of our artifacts. See you all later." Kari said, waving goodbye with his head turned as he and Neko walked off.

"Shouldn't we follow them?" Jaune asked.

"If we do, then they'll probably just shake us off and continue. They wouldn't let us find the things so easily." Blake rejected his request quickly, making the boy slouch in disappointment. "Let's keep searching, until we find our other teammates. I don't want to hear any complaints of whining, we're here with a mission and we need to complete it." Blake stated, sharpening her gaze on the two less-disciplined of team JNPR.

"Yes ma'am."  
"Yes ma'am."

* * *

 **Ren and Yang**

* * *

Several hours had passed, as evidenced by the setting sun, and the gradual fade of color from the leaves that would soon become completely transparent. For almost the entire day, the two had been tirelessly searching for some, any of the statues they were told to find. Finally, they struck oil.

"Hey, I found one!" Yang shouted at her green wearing ninja friend, who quickly held up a finger to his mouth, showing the "be quiet" gesture. "Hey, I found one." she repeated, much quieter. In her hand was a silver statue in the shape of an Ursa standing on a pedestal.

"I have found one as well." Ren replied, brandishing a bronze Creep statue with one hand, before quickly concealing it beneath his clothing.

"Finally, two down, four to go." Yang proudly declared. "I didn't think it'd be this difficult to find these things, they're not exactly hard to spot even in this forest. Then again, we _were_ given a week, so I probably should have expected it… anyways, we've cleared a lot of ground, let's keep going, shall we?"

"Yang, perhaps we should stop for the day. Without the sunlight, we won't be able to see anything, which also means we'll be prone to an ambush. Even with my enhanced senses, we would be at a large disadvantage against any faunus with night vision, or people with light-based abilities. Let's secure ourselves, our statues and wait for light to return." Ren explained, climbing one of the trees' large branches. Thinking through his words, Yang couldn't help but agree. She was a daytime person anyways. It would be a waste of energy if she wandered blind. She climbed an adjacent tree, propping herself against an equally large branch that would obscure her presence from any wanderers from below.

"...Yang." Ren called out. "There's something I'd like to ask about, if I'm not intruding. I'd like to know more about Madara, being the oldest, I would think that you know the most about him." There was a brief pause of silence, as Yang faced down at the branch she sat on. For this short time, Ren frowned, worried that he may have inadvertently upset the girl.

"Well, to be honest with you, there's not a whole lot I know about him myself." Yang admitted, much to the boy's surprise. "A long time ago, I was attacked by a grimm, and he came to save me. Since then, he's kind of been a part of our family. It's been almost a decade since,but there's a lot he doesn't ever, or won't ever, want to talk about. There are a lot of things I want answers to, and I'm sure he knows some of them, but I know he wouldn't answer those. Though, I can understand some of those things. There's some stuff he's seen that anyone would want to forget." Yang said, looking down at herself as repressed memories tried to surface

"I see, I won't ask any more about that then." Ren said, and Yang nodded.

"Backstory aside, if you want to know about his power, I know a little more about that. He mentioned it a long time ago, but has been pretty reserved about it for some reason. He called his aura 'chakra' for some reason. I guess his is different from us, since he can do a lot of ridiculous stuff, like he has multiple semblances combined into one. He creates clones of himself like Blake does, puts people to sleep just by looking at them, breathes fire, and a lot of other cool things. He's strong, and I mean _strong_. I can't beat him just by hitting him a lot of times, and believe me, I've tried. On top of all that, he's always been pretty awesome at training. He's better at teaching than most of my old instructors at Signal actually, aside from my uncle. He gets my style and gives me pointers on being faster and hitting harder. Actually, he's always been able to figure things out before almost everyone else, with some exceptions here and there."

"I see, it sounds like you're quite lucky to have him." Ren remarked, smiling from her positive feedback.

"Heck yeah I am! Ruby and I'd be dead if it weren't for him. Like I said, he saved my butt from some grimm a long time ago. I can't ever thank him enough for the things he's done." she declared, before letting out a long and exhausted yawn. "Anyways, I'm going to sleep. You should probably get some too."

"I'll keep watch for a little while longer." Ren said, a hand still remaining on one of his handguns.

"Alright… night." and with that, the girl quickly fell into the land of dreams.

"It appears that _I was right to send that message to him. There is still much about him that I don't know, and even less I understand. For now, I can only really hope the truth reveals itself in the near future._ "

With a bronze and a silver, they required a second pair of each, and two golden statues. There were two plans of attack. One, continue to explore the forest, looking for them in or below the large colorful trees, or hunt down other groups to collect their treasures. However, both of them came with risks. If all of the statues had been collected, then their time would have been wasted. If a team they chose to attack were better prepared, and/or had more members, their items could in turn be taken.

 **END**

 **And there's part one of this little arc. I've been working on making these chapters longer than before. They're usually 2k words, but I've been trying to increase them to 2.7k-3k+. I hope you all enjoy the slight increase. Anyways, Neko and Kari are apart of an OC team made up of some friends and an inside joke between us. Neko's the "god of cats" and Kari's the rich guy friend. If you think that's ridiculous, just wait until you meet the other two members.**

 **Fun Fact, Neko calling Kari "kerry" isn't him making fun of his name, but IRL, Neko is french canadian, and has the accent. So Kari, pronounced Kh-aw-ree, sounds like Kerry when Neko says it sometimes. It varies, but that's the most common one.**

 **Also fun fact, most people will say the rainbow is seven colors, but this isn't actually true. The truth is that indigo isn't part of the spectrum, hence there only being six colors in the wheel. The guy who figured out the prism color trick lived in a very catholic community. Since they weren't very fond of the number six, for obvious reasons, he changed it to seven.**


	16. Chapter 16

**Next Chappy- this forest area is actually a place in one of my original stories, which I never published. It's called the "Myriad Forest" for its very weird properties. In** _ **that**_ **story, it's coloration is natural. In this story, I guess you could call it an emergence, or an intrusion.**

 **Antron58- The OCs aren't going to be a large focus, nor are they meant to be OP as heck. They're just students, and like any other team in Beacon, they each have their own traits and quirks. Fun fact, Neko, Kari, are part of our RWBY:GE group.**

 **PAssing By- As far as I'm concerned, Kaguya is somewhere having tea with Paul Walker. Madara's powers will restore in time, some faster than others, and some by certain triggers. Yeah, the VS battle wiki kind of just sucks overall. One of the "arguments" Rain had was that since grimm could destroy buildings and warships, rwby cast would automatically be able to do the same since they can kill grimm, but that's not how it works.**

Chapter 16

* * *

 **Ruby and Penny**

* * *

"I found one!" Ruby jumped in place, holding a bronze statue above her head that reflected the bright light from above.

"Amazing." Penny remarked. "That's one for team RWBY. congratulations, Ruby."

"Thanks, Penny… what about you, have you found anything for you and Madara?" Ruby asked, putting the statue into her pocket as she approached the orange haired girl.

"None." Penny answered nonchalauntly.

"Oh." she girl frowned. "Well, I'm sure we'll find you one or two soon. We have plenty of time." she said, hoping to lift her friend's spirits up. "So, there may be others here, but if not then we waste time. We also have to found our team members. Do you think we should stay here and keep looking, or should we move on?" Ruby asked.

"Well, according to my sensor-senses, there are no other statues, nor fellow classmates, within a twenty five meter radius." Penny explained, looking almost nervous as she finished the sentence for some reason.

"Woah!" the silver eyed girl exclaimed. "You can do that? That's awesome. That's gonna save a lot of time when we get to the next area."

"You're… not surprised?" Penny asked suspiciously.

"Not really. I mean, that's your semblance, right?"

"...yes, that is correct." Penny jumped at the opportunity to get herself out of the awkward situation. Though Ruby was clearly oblivious, Penny couldn't help but feel worried. As of recent, more specifically since she came to Vale, she had been experiencing numerous technical issues. At first, they were insignificant, an issue with a syllable once every so often, but nothing that would be deemed a problem. However, as time passed, they gradually worsened. Long distance communication degraded. Prime directives flashed in and out of her memory banks, and despite all of these issues, she failed to find any hardware issues. On the other hand, however, the girl's aura generation, circulation, and output had increased proportionately. Her body attempted to reject these facts, trying pointlessly to correct these "glitches", but to no avail. There was no explanation. Whatever was in Vale that caused these alterations, it was isolating her, while making her more powerful in the process.

As the two walked, side by side and quiet, Ruby pressed a hand against one of her eyes, rubbing it as if it was in pain. That was the eighth time she had done that motion since they entered the forest.

"Are you alright, Ruby?" Penny asked, leaning forward to see her face. "I have noticed you rub your eyes quite frequently. Do you have an allergy?"

"No, I don't think it's an allergy. It's pretty common for me, actually. Every now and then my eyes just start hurting, but it fades after a few seconds. There might be something in this forest that's triggering it. I'm sure I'll be fine though." Ruby said smiling. "What about you? Sometimes you mess up a word or freeze up for a second. Kind of reminds me of a computer going haywire or something."

"Oh.. uh, I'm just not an… outdoor person." Penny quickly answered.

"Hmm," Ruby hummed, slightly skeptical. "Well, I can understand that. I like the outdoors, but I'm bad with talking to people, so I stick to my sis, step-brother, and Crescent Rose here." she said, happily hugging the red scythe, almost twice as tall as she was, in its compressed form. "Speaking of which, what's your weapon, Penny? You don't look like you're carrying anything."

"I use a set of single-sided swords." Penny answered, turning to face Ruby. Unbeknownst to the latter, a small panel opened up on Penny's upper back, and a single object extended outwards, sliding out and falling into her hand, ready to catch. The blade was mostly black, with a silver edge and a vertical green line on the back. The hilt was round, orange, and displayed a computer standby symbol. Connecting the pommel of the sword to her back was a thin, almost completely invisible cable. Deciding to display its capabilities to her friend, Penny tossed the sword into the air, which instead of falling back into her hand, remained suspended mid air.

"Woah, you have telekinesis!" Ruby watched excitedly, not noticing the metal string. "C'mon, let's go kill something with that. I wanna see you in action, and I know the perfect target practice. I saw some big black creature walking around the forest a little while back. It must be a grimm." she suggested, taking the Penny's hand and tugging hard.

" _REQUEST: Field demonstration of current combat capacity. REQUEST: accepted._ Penny confirmed, a smile forming on her face to mirror Ruby's expression.

 **Weiss, Pyrrha, and Madara**

"Get down!" Pyrrha shouted to Weiss, doing as she herself had instructed to do.

Weiss crouched and tumbled, avoiding the swing of four long bone claws, each belonging to an ancient Beowolf. The grimm was at least half of a century old, given its massive size and thick white carapaces. Weiss spun around and drove her fire-charged rapier into the leg of the creature, causing it to explode in a fiery blaze. The monster roared in pain, but its damaged leg was still intact.

"I'll cover you, just get back!" Pyrrha exclaimed, transforming her sword into a rifle and firing off five shots at its head.

"Madara?! A little help!" Weiss demanded to the boy who watched from a tree branch above.

"So be it." Madara muttered, stepping off of the tree branch and weaving a hand sign. "Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu!" he called out, spewing a large fireball onto the back of the creature.

The sphere detonated on contact, exploding with a powerful force that shook the ground in which its target stood. The grimm creature was scorched by the intense heat, the strong white bone armor dissolved into ashes, exposing the—now heavily damaged—black monster underneath. If its skin wasn't already black as the void, it would definitely be now.

"Schnee, freeze the creature in place." Madara ordered.

Though she didn't like the idea of being bossed around, this was the first solid hit they got in on the enemy, and she was in no position to complain. The white haired girl spun the barrel housed within her sword, stopping it on white and causing her glade to glow a light blue. She held the sword upside down and pierced the ground, causing a massive line of ice crystals to form in front of her, penetrating through the feet and hands, and immobilizing the large monster.

"Pyrrha, kill it." he then instructed.

"Done!" Pyrrha replied, switching her rifle back into its spear form, and pulling it back. With a great deal of strength, aided by the propulsive force of a single shot, the spear sliced through the air itself, tearing through the weakened armor with ease and dealing a fatal blow to the monster. The skin and remaining bones began evaporating, as all grimm did upon their death. It was a sign of relief for any huntsman or huntress, for it meant the fight was over for certain.

"Phew." Weiss exhaled heavily. "Now that that's over, let's continue looking for the statuettes."

"Um, actually, Weiss, if you don't mind, I think we should take a short break now." Pyrrha suggested, showing a hint of fatigue behind her smile.

"...hm, now that you mention it, I _do_ feel a little exhausted. I guess we should pause our search." Weiss said as she, along with her red and black haired friends agreed to take a break, sitting down in the small clearing on a series of neatly arranged rock formations. "So, to go over our current status; so far we've found one statue." Weiss stated looking at Madara, who carried the golden statuette. "To be honest, after a day and a half, I would've thought we would find more by now." Weiss complained.

"They _were_ hidden by our seniors. I have a feeling that they too have gone through this, and would therefore know exactly where to hide these. It's not out of the realm of possibilities that _all_ of the statues are held by second year students, which would mean we may very well have to come to fight them." Pyrrha explained. Just as Professor Port had said, the people responsible for hiding the gold, silver, and bronze objectives were volunteering second years. However, he had also said that some were actively carried by those same individuals. They too, were part of their test, and probably the most difficult at that.

"Well with the three of us, I'm sure we'll be fine. I just wonder how everyone else will fare. They're all good, and I'm sure they'll all become huntresses, but I can't say they'll be the best, or even near the best at this rate." Weiss remarked.

"Care to elaborate?" Madara asked, interested in her reasoning.

"Well, Yang's a brawler, more or less. She's takes a very aggressive approach, relying on her aura to protect her from any damage. On top of that, the more she's hit, the stronger she becomes, but that's the problem. If she keeps relying on that process, if someone was slightly faster or smart and knocked her out before she became strong enough, that'd be it. Ruby is fast and has a superb weapon, but that scythe is where most, if not, all of her fighting abilities lies. If she's separated, then she's basically defenseless. Blake… seems like she's in the wrong place. I'm not sure how to explain it. It's like she wasn't trained to kill grimm, but people."

" _If only she knew the truth._ " Madara thought, silently chuckling over the irony of the situation.

"Actually, Madara, I have a question." Pyrrha asked. "Your relationship with Ruby and Yang seems to be a bit strange. Yang often calls Ruby her 'little sis', and I've heard Ruby call Yang "big sis' on occasion. Yang has called you her brother before, yet I've never heard you refer to either of them as your sisters." Pyrrha explained, her curiosity piqued.

"Actually, yeah. I'm curious about that too." Weiss agreed. "My sister and I use our names when addressing each other, but since she's not here, I say 'my sister'. Why don't you, Madara? By the way you interact, there doesn't seem to be any bad blood between you."

Madara was still stoic, his look unchanging. However, despite the lack of a visible reaction, by the slight lowering of his head and gaze, they could both feel a sense of dread. It was as if he was emitting an oppressive pressure over the two. After a few seconds, he blinked, looking at the ground before speaking.

"They may see me as their brother, but in the end, I'm not related to either of them by blood. I was made a member of their family far after my birth. That may make them my step-siblings. However, I would prefer not to see them as such, not until they no longer need my help… to think of them as siblings would be _problematic_ for me." He explained. It was obvious that he was hiding something, or some things. For one reason or another, he was only telling them what he had to to satisfy them. They knew very little about the man that said in front of them, and they would love to know as much as possible, but there are different times and different places for everything. What they knew for certain was that, for one reason or another, he didn't want to accept having siblings until he's achieved what he wanted.

"A-anyways," Weiss said in an attempt to change the mood. "I can kind of relate. Though my sister and I are on good terms, my brother is much less of the same. On the outside, or when others are present, he acts respectful and formal, but when we're alone he is completely different. He's arrogant, annoyingly so, sociopathic, and cares nothing for other people unless they benefit him. All things considered, he's much like our father. What about you, Pyrrha?"

"Me?" Pyrrha said. "Oh, I don't have any brothers or sisters, so I wouldn't know anything about siblings."

"I see." Weiss replied. "I suppose being an only child has its own advantages and disadvantages. Nevertheless, judging from who you are, I'm sure they would be good people." she complimented.

"Thanks, Weiss." Pyrrha replied with a smile. " _I wonder what it would be like to have a brother or sister. I think I understand how Madara feels. If I had siblings, I would want to do anything to protect them, at all costs. Maybe that's how Madara feels._ "

"We've rested long enough." Madara declared. "We'll keep searching now. Let's move." he said, as he, Pyrrha, and Weiss stood up and began walking.

* * *

 **Ruby and Penny**

* * *

"Is that the creature?" Penny asked in a low whisper, watching cautiously beside her friend.

"Yeah… I mean, it kinda looked like it when I saw it the first time. Now I'm not really sure what that thing is." Ruby replied, with a confused look on her face. What stood about ten meters from them appeared to be a monster, standing four meters tall with a shape unlike any known grimm. It was bipedal, straight human-like legs with two arms and four large claws on each hand. No visible eyes rested within the cylindrically shaped head. There was no white, red, yellow, or any color that grimm wore along with their black skin, fur, and scales.

"I have never seen something like this before. Perhaps it is a new species of grimm, spawned from this forest specifically." Penny suggested.

"If that's the case." Ruby muttered, taking hold of Crescent Rose and switching it into its rifle form. "Then we're gonna be the first to kill a new grimm!" she quietly squealed at the thought. She was going to slay a new grimm, the first new grimm in over half of a century. Staying her breath, the fifteen year old girl moved her finger to the trigger, and held the head within the center of her scope. "Penny, after this shot, rush in and attack."

"Understood." Penny replied, gripping the sword in her hand with a crushing amount of pressure.

"Three… two…" the began counting, her body shaking with giddy anticipation. "One!"

The trigger was pulled, triggering a small explosion within the chamber. The bullet was ejected out of the barrel with extreme force. Just a single one of these bullets, which she used regularly, could tear a young grimm in half. However, despite the large size of the beast, it was nimble, and somehow avoided the bullet.

" _Crap!_ " Ruby panicked.

Despite the clear failure to land a shot, Penny acted quickly, following up with an upward slash with her sword. It drove deep into the beast's flesh, yet there was something wrong. There was no substance, the sword literally passed through the skin. As if not surprised by this, the creature lowered its head, "staring" at Penny, before nodding its head.

"Not scared huh?" the monster spoke without a mouth to open. The voice wasn't deep either, which would have befitted the creature. Its voice sounded as if it belonged to a teenage boy, a the same age as Yang, if not a year older.

"Uh… what?" Ruby asked, failing to understand the turns of events.

The creature moved away from Penny, and straightened its slouched back. The arms fell to the sides, and its body began to undergo change. The black mass flickered in and out, like a shadow puppet popping in and out of existence from a faulty light source. In fact, that may have very well been the case. In moments, the creature had all but completely vanished. What remained, standing in front of the two, was a boy. Just a boy, wearing a pair of blue shorts and an unzipped gray jacket with black sleeves. He didn't appear to have any weapons on him.

"Woah… Who are you?" Ruby asked, "how did you become that big monster thing?" she continued, her eyes almost glimmering with curiosity.

"Oh, right, I haven't introduced myself." the boy said with a chuckle, scratching the back of his head before clearing his throat. "I'm Pum, a second year and leader of team PNNK, and out of the four statues that our team was assigned with carrying, I'm in possession of three of them."

 **END**

 **unfortunately, I seem to have lost both of my beta readers, so RIP me and the quality.**


	17. Chapter 17

**Boblets & guest- "Viel feind, viel eh", Georg von Frundsberg**

Chapter 17

 **Blake, Nora, and Jaune**

"So~ is this as awkward for you guys as it is for me?" Nora asked, jokingly.

"Yeah, j-just about." Jaune replied, looking worried about something.

For the past twenty minutes or so, none of the three had said a word to one another as they waited above ground for the daylight to return. Blake wasn't particularly fond of Nora for her hyperactivity and Jaune for his ineptitude. Nora, who almost always was accompanied by her lifelong friend, Ren, was at a loss for what to do without him to reply to her comments. In parallel to Nora's situation, Jaune often interacted with Pyrrha and Ren. He'd never been alone with Nora before, usually relying on Ren to keep her in check. Blake intimidated him, giving off the impression that she could and would snap on him if he ever gave her a reason to. Overall, it wasn't a great turn of events for anyone. Together, they were the least compatible group possible. More on the positive end though, they had managed to obtain two statues from other classmates, by force of course.

"I wonder how our friends are all doing." Jaune thought. "If the last thing we did was any example, Pyrrha's probably leading whoever she's with. Ren'll be quiet and have found three already and Ruby's probably getting into trouble.

"Hah, sounds about right, except for the part about Ren." Nora corrected, wagging her index finger. "He may look like the quiet genius type that does everything perfect, but I know him better than that… just between us three, he's not very good at dancing nor fashion." she whispered, prompting Jaune to snicker. "Actually, there's something I wanna ask. How'd you become team leader, Jaune?"

"W-what?" Jaune stuttered, completely unprepared for such a direct question.

"I mean, you're not BAD, you've got a good heart and you're a good thinker. You figure out plans on the fly when we're having trouble, like when… uh… someone mysteriously stole our chips supply... but anyway, don't you think it's a little weird that Mr. Gray hair made you the leader just for that? In terms of combat, you were pretty terrible in the Emerald Forest." she explained.

"Yeah, I guess you're right." He replied, gaining a melancholic tone as he lowered his head.

"Aww don't feel so bad, you're a lot different now than then. You can still stand upright without throwing up after being punched by me and that's without a good aura shield." Nora smiled pridefully. "You'll be one heck of a fighter by the time we graduate, i'm 100% sure of it!"

"Oh, well, thanks… I think I needed that."

"...How exactly did you even pass the entrance exams?" Blake sat up and asked Jaune, who nearly jumped in his own skin. "You have to take them to get into Beacon but you don't look or sound like someone who did or quite honestly even could."

"Well. I uh, y-you know, sometimes lucky things just happen." he replied nervously, small sweat drops forming on his face.

The truth was just as Blake had said. He didn't appear to be or have the skill to be a huntsman in training. Only recently did he actually gain any fighting ability. If he didn't wear his white armor at all times, he could've and would've been easily mistaken as a regular teenager in the wrong place. It was suspicious, to say the least. Not at all helped by the fact that those suspicions weren't misplaced. By all means, he shouldn't have been attending Beacon. If anyone were to found out why, he would definitely be removed and possibly blacklisted from the academy.

"Whatever, it's not my business." Blake sighed, returning to her resting position against the tree. " _Whatever's going on with Jaune isn't my business. I should be focusing on myself. I need answers, information, some way to put an end to what Adam is trying to do. The only person that can do that for me is Madara, I just have to figure out how to convince him._ " she thought to herself, running a simulation from her imagination.

"Well, on that note, I'm hittin' the sack." Nora proclaimed as she fell back onto wide branch.

"Nora's right, we should get some sleep for tomorrow." Jaune suggested, leaning against the tree's trunk.

"I'll be fine. Go ahead and sleep. I'll keep watch." Blake protested, sitting herself back up with an upright posture. " _A night or two is nothing, compared to what I'll have to do in the future._ " She thought.

 **Ruby and Penny**

"You're a team leader too?" Ruby asked excitedly. "I'm one too! I'm Ruby, leader of team RWBY… and yeah, it does cause some confusion." she remarked, quickly returning to a more calm state.

"Sounds like it would." Pum replied. "I know the feel; we used to have some trouble when people heard our team name. Sometimes it really makes you wonder why all of the names are colors. I know it's meant to represent a piece of Vale history, but really?"

"Well I like it. It makes every team unique. It's better than just being 'year one team twelve' or 'year three team four'. This way every person is represented equally too.'

"I'll agree to that. Even if the name is uncomfortable, it's one that'll stick. Anyways, congratulations." Pum said, suddenly grabbing and tossing two of his statues to Ruby and Penny. The former fumbled the object in surprise.

"W-w-waa!" Ruby gasped as she frantically juggled the bronze cylinder base. "Thanks, but why? Aren't we supposed to like, fight you to get these?" she asked confused.

"Yeah, but I'll save that for the other statue. These are for being the first people to approach me. Some other students looked at me, and immediately hightailed it out. Consider it a recognition of your bravery. The first strike is always the most important, but the follow up shouldn't ever be overlooked." Pum explained, before taking out the final statue. "Like I said, I'm saving this one for anyone who wants a fight. If you got the guts then we can settle this right here and now." Pum suggested with an childish smirk.

"Um… I don't think I'm ready for that. I mean, you're a second year and probably know more about me than I do about you." Ruby declined the offer nervously, turning her head to look at Penny, who stood still as if she herself was a statue. "Right, Penny?"

"That is tough to answer." Penny replied. "I would say that based on my current information, together we have a thirty percent chance of being victorious against Pum. That is assuming he remains unarmed." she explained pointing out the lack of weapons on the boy's body. Ruby raised an eyebrow as the thought only now crossed her mind. It was a rare occurrence to say the least. She almost always looked for and saw the weapon someone had before looking at the people themselves. It was just one of her quirks.

"Pum, where _is_ your weapon? If you don't have one, do you just use dust raw crystals?" Ruby asked, presenting her own red scythe. " _Does he do martial arts and fireballs like Madara? No, that couldn't be, even he has his fan thing. Huntsmen without weapons are really rare and he doesn't look like the type._ " she thought, analyzing Pum who cocked his head to the side.

"I don't use one exactly… I guess you could say that I myself _am_ the weapon." He said replied. "That said, I don't do any martial arts. I pretty much rely only on my aura to fight." he declared proudly. "I would show you now but since it's dark out it'd probably be hard to see. "

"Aww." Ruby pouted while looking down at her feet. "What about in the morning?" she asked, hopeful for a positive response.

"I can't stay around for very long. The more I'm in one place, the easier it'll be for someone to find and attack me. We have to keep things challenging." Pum explained.

"But didn't you just-" Ruby tried to point out the blatant hypocrisy but was outright ignored,

"I'll be going now. You girls should get on looking for your teammates, lest you be expelled over such a stupid reason. You don't have very much more time. Night ladies, perhaps we'll see each other in the Vytal Festival." he turned, waving goodbye as he walked into the trees.

"...Oh crap! He's right!" Ruby exclaimed. "We just used up a lot of time. We should've been been looking for our friends! Urrg." she growled, but was able to calm herself. "But we did get two statues, so I guess we got some good out of it… you know, he's right, it's already night time. We should get some sleep." Ruby suggested.

"Understood." Penny replied, following Ruby as they searched for a hiding spot for two.

 **Next Morning - Weiss, Pyrrha, and Madara**

The sun had only risen recently, maybe an hour at best. Yet for Madara, this seemed to already be too late of a time to mobilize. Through a sudden realization, and a small bit of ingenuity, they employed Pyrrha's Polarity semblance to act as a wide-ranged magnet. Though they didn't have any concrete evidence that the statues were made of magnetic metals, that didn't mean any students carrying some didn't wear or wield metal equipment. As such, she lead the group, about five meters ahead of Madara and Weiss.

"Madara, I'd like to ask you something. " Weiss whispered to the black haired boy walking beside her.

"What is it?" Madara replied, not turning his head or even glancing at Weiss.

"What… do you think about me?" She hesitated to ask, but quickly began to backpedal. "I-I mean us, team RWBY's members. You know, since you're Ruby's and Yang's step brother and you seem to know something about Blake that she won't tell us about. I was just… wondering about your opinion."

Madara blinked slowly, exhaling lightly before speaking with a flat tone. "Ruby's and Yang's actions will speak for their talents, and who they are as people. I have confidence that they will only grow as greater warriors as time pases. They still have plenty to learn, but that only shows their potential. Blake is far too single minded. A goal is all well and good, but preparing a secondary plan should be a given. She will learn when the time is right. As for you, Schnee, I have yet to see anything specifically."

"I see." Weiss looked away for a moment, averting her eyes from the Uchiha, before quickly turning her gaze back onto the black haired boy. "Now that I think about it, I also noticed that you call me by my last name instead of my first. I _am_ more than just my family name you know. In fact, my rejection of the name is what brought me to Beacon in the first place."

"You ran away ashamed of your family." Madara corrected. "I assume you allso have no intention to return, especially not to correct whatever caused you to leave." he assumed, recollecting from his own personal past and campaign against Hashirama and his hidden village system.

"No, actually I _do_ plan to fix what my father has done. Our family name was tarnished and only I can fix that. I just need some time. I need to get to a point in my training where I would be able to beat my father so I can prove I'm capable of taking over and defending the company." she declared

"Jacques Schnee, current president of the Schnee Dust Company." Madara named. "He made quite a large impression when he first stepped up; signing with multiple anti-faunus organizations in order to vastly increase his worldwide influence. His methods are sickening but effective. You plan to best him through combat, but even by graduation your chances will likely remain as slim as they are now."

"And why would you say that?" Weiss asked, feeling irritated by his claim.

"Because against a man who stands alone, there is only one true way to defeat them. That method is one that you have yet to realize." Madara knew, of course, that there were many ways to defeat any type of person. Even without his Sharingan, because of his decades of combat against every kind of fighter, he could see through nearly every opponent. The ones he couldn't predict, that had somehow found a blindspot, could be counted on one hand. Yet it was only through personal experience that he knew the answer to what he proposed, for only a suicidal man would have faced Madara Uchiha whilst completely alone.

"Okay, so what, do I need some special technique? An anti-glyph weapon? Are you telling me to make more money than him or something?" The heiress said sarcastically.

"No, but it's something I hope you will realize during your time at Beacon." Madara answered back, picking up his pace and walking past Weiss.

" _I take back what I thought about him before. He's weirder than I gave him credit for. what kind of person walks up to you and says that you're going to fail, but nothing about how avoid screwing up. Is he trying to mess with me? Make me doubt and make a fool out of myself just for a laugh? I swear… I'll be the one laughing in the end._ " Weiss decided, speeding up to follow closer.

Soon after, Pyrrha had stopped walking and the gray fields around her hands that acted as magnets had faded away. "Weiss, Madara, we are about to have company." she warned the two, using her semblance to move her weapons from her back and into her hands. Weiss drew her rapier, and took her signature—rush and thrust—stance. Upon activating his Sharingan, and surprisingly out of character, Madara extended a rod-shaped object from his sleeve.

" _Is that his weapon? It looks like a normal metal bar._ " Weiss wondered, having never seen him in armed combat before.

Suddenly, the three were assaulted by an ear piercing roar. It was akin to that of a lion, but mixed with the screech of a hawk. From the treeline, a large beast approached. The black skin and white bone plates made it obvious that what they were facing was a creature of grimm, but it was one that none of the three had ever seen. It had a bird-like head with four eyes, two curled horns on each side, and a long pronged tail with three red points. Its body was slim, almost completely covered in armor with three pairs of pitch black hooved legs. Its glowing yellow eyes split their attention to each of the three.

Sensing the group's negative intentions, the beast dragged one of its feet against the ground multiple times, and with a sudden burst of speed the creature charged headfirst at the closest person, Pyrrha. The spartan girl lept and rolled out of the way, watching as the grimm stopped and quickly spun its body around ready for another charge. Instead of repeating its rush, the creature's long tail began to glow bright red and the beast opened its maw. A large pillar of flames shot out towards the three. Weiss loaded ice dust into her rapier, prepared to create a shield, but Madara beat her to it.

"Doton: Doryūheki" Madara called out, pressing both hands onto the ground. As he did a large stone wall rose, protecting Weiss and Pyrrha from the fire. " _So it can breathe fire like the Feilong does electricity. The tail glew when it launched that attack. What would happen if-_ " before he could finish his thought, he watched as the grimm was suddenly skewered from below by five thin ice stalagmites, screeching in pain as it did.

"There, it won't be moving anymore." Weiss remarked, leaving the two behind her and walking towards her immobilized prey. "That wasn't so hard right?" 

"Weiss… I don't think we should get closer to it. It would be smarter to kill it from a safe distance." Pyrrha suggested.

"Well of course." Weiss replied. "I'm just getting a little better of a shot, is all." she muttered, spinning the revolving chamber until it landed on red. However, as she revelled in her success, she noticed too late that white plates began to grow on the underside of the chimera. The monster ceased its noise making, looked down at its white-blue restraints, and began melting the spikes.

"You shouldn't have wasted your time. It is because of your overconfidence, that the enemy has become even stronger." Madara scolded, clicking a trigger on his staff. " _So it can adapt quickly? Quite interesting, but I wonder what caused this evolutionary trait to surface. Grimm don't evolve like normal living animals…_ " he mused,

Weiss slowly backed away while keeping her eyes focused on the newly freed grimm. The black and white monster kicked at the ground with one of its hooves, preparing to rush at the ice queen. Realizing that her icicles wouldn't work anymore, she switched to a new element. " _This will work. I'm not going to let him run his mouth. But I'll need something else…_ " Weiss kept her distance, preparing a white glyph beneath her feet in case she needed a quick escape. " _There's got to be a chink in its armor, maybe its joints? But what good would that do for me? I need something else… wait, I know!_ " she came to a realization. "Pyrrha, I need you to throw your spear at its head. Make sure it sticks in deep."

"A-alright." Pyrrha replied, transforming her rifle back into a spear and awaiting the command.

The chimera began to run, the extra armor doing nothing to hinder its speed.

"Now!" Weiss shouted, her blade glowing bright yellow and generating a crackling sound.

Pyrrha pulled the trigger, launching the spear to pierce through the bone helmet. It connected, and passed through the helmet, but stopped as it just barely touched the skin. Luckily, this seemed to stop the chimera's advance, as it stopped moving briefly. This was what Weiss wanted as it allowed her to put her plan into action. The yellow energy that surrounded the rapier concentrated at the tip and a large bolt of lightning was discharged. The red and orange spear that pierced through the skull of the creature acted as a lightning rod, and transferred the strong current of electrical energy into its body and paralyzing it.

"Now, take this!" once again cycling the chamber to a new element, Weiss charged her sword with the red dust of fire, using a time dilation glyph to close the distance. Once she was within range, Weiss stabbed the—already made—hole in its head, and engulfed the beast in a massive eruption of flames.

"Hmph, now I know that killed it." Weiss congratulated herself, pulling away from the large bonfire she had just created.

"Indeed you have killed it… your chances that is, idiot." Madara muttered. "If its innards could withstand the heat of the fire it produced, then fire would have been ineffective on its hide to begin with. Once again your pride just made your enemy more dangerous." he explained, staring blankly at the beast that began to rise, lifting up its four front and middle arms as it did.

"What?!" Weiss exclaimed, realizing too late the mistake she had just made. Unfortunately, she found herself unable to even move. She had exhausted almost all of her aura in using the large attacks she thought would put the creature of grimm down. She didn't even have enough to escape. To make things even worse, not even Pyrrha would be able to rescue the white haired girl nor could she delay the incoming flaming slash.

Weiss slammed her eyes shut, knowing that her aura wouldn't be able to absorb all of the damage. She prepared to experience an extreme pain, the likes of which she hadn't ever felt before. Instead all there was, was a loud and short "thump" sound. She slowly opened her eyes which then shot open with shock. Madara stood over her holding the large beast back on his own. He shielded her, not with his own body, but what looked like a large sign post. Of course, it was no such thing. At the center, it was the rod that he carried before, but had two large appendages opened up on its sides. Excluding the handle, it had the general shape of a peanut, but was flat with tomoe marks in triangular patterns on both sides. It was some sort of handheld fan, but on a much larger scale.

"You still have a lot to learn, which I can only help will be beneficial for you." Madara whispered, pouring more chakra into his arms and legs to throw the chimera back. "It proves that you have potential. I suppose I can begin with a few comments of my own. To start off with, your technique is a tragedy to watch. It won't ever work on a real battlefield. Every action must be quick and fluid, or you'll be but a minor inconvenience." he lectured, pulling back the Gunbai.

He kicked off the ground, positioning himself above the creature and faced the fan towards the chimera. In his past life, all it would have taken to completely obliterate such an enemy would be to turn a small amount of his powerful chakra into wind nature chakra and tear the chimera apart. Unfortunately, the metals and plastics that built his new war fan couldn't channel chakra, so he instead had to rely on dust as to not expose too much of his true abilities. The moment the fan reached the right position, he pulled a hidden trigger within the handle, activating an array of thin white dust crystals. The unique arrangement and shape of the crystals allowed it to expel sharp spinning blades of concentrated wind that, through several tests, could cut through even thick bone armor.. Additionally, it also acted as a form of thrust, keeping him in the air while bombarding the victim below mercilessly.

"Secondly, the most valuable and most vital component you can have in battle is information. Knowing what your enemy is and what they are capable of is key to victory…" he continued, before ending his attack and returning to the ground. However, despite the deep and countless gashes in the body of the grimm, the lack of evaporation showed that it wasn't dead. "And lastly, tying in with the second lecture…"

The creature, despite being heavily damaged refused to admit defeat and die. In a mindless state, the creature attempted to scorch the Uchiha from behind, but was topped as a red blade had split its head clean open, courtesy of their resident redhead..

"The best weapon against the lone and powerful, are those with trusted allies. Strength in an individual can't stand up to strength shared by many. This has been true time and time again, and while there have been some minor exceptions, the greatest and longest lasting warriors have had allies at one point or another. You would do well to look on even level with your teammates, be at least willing fall first, or you _will_ be. That is all." Madara concluded, returning his Gunbai into its compact rod-shape, and pocketting it. "Now that that is over, let's begin searching for our teammates, Weiss, Pyrrha."

"I agree." Pyrrha seconded, extending an arm to Weiss.

She was speechless after what she had witnessed, more so by the circumstances in which it happened. Though he didn't explicitly say it, she could feel his distaste towards her family, which she could relate with. More importantly, he seemed to dislike her for the same reasons she hated her own father. He was selfish, only saw others as stepping stones for self benefit, and unfairly held others in lower regards. On top of that, he was under no obligation to help her. He could have very easily left to find more statues, then with less competition, but he didn't. He didn't even half to tell her what he did whilst cleaning up the mess that she left, but he did. Whatever could have driven him to do such a thing was beyond her. The fact still remained though, he saw her worthy of being helped. He saw her for what she could be, instead of only seeing what she was.

 **END**

 **At some point, this arc will end and more serious stuff will happen.**


	18. Chapter 18

**Thank you all for your suggestions, I think I've decided on the abilities I'll give Madara. No, I'm not going to say which ones I've chosen or who's I've chosen, you'll just have to wait and find out. I'll have to say, unfortunately, I won't be giving him manipulation of time. It'd be a problem for a reason or two, and while it's not an ability he will have, he will definitely do something to the same effect.**

 **GoldenVoid235 & GenoKiller- No, their abilities are unique to each user. Amaterasu is shared between Sasuke and Itachi, but I'd say that's because Itachi implanted the ability in his left eye. Madara can't use either ability, nor can Kakashi, Obito, Shisui, etc. **

**Adislt- You mean the takama-ga-hara?**

 **Issy786- I don't think he would, but I don't claim to know the details exactly. Obito didn't say he lost the ability, just that he couldn't phase through attacks with it inside him, which already doesn't make any sense, since Madara did it no problem.**

 **kimiko 4- no idea honestly. I've been setting some stuff up for potential pairing, but I don't know what I will make for sure. I'm open to consider any suggestions.**

Chapter 18

* * *

 **Ren and Yang**

* * *

"Wait, so Nora doesn't like syrup on pancakes?" Yang asked surprised. "But syrup is what makes them taste better!"

"Unfortunately, she doesn't share the same views. Nora believes that pancakes are better without any condiments, so we've only ever used syrup one time when we were kids." Ren explained.

"Dang." the blonde sighed sympathetically. "I didn't think there'd be something she wouldn't eat. At home, we can eat pretty much anything there is, but Ruby hides all the cookies away for herself. Of course, it never works out for her." she chuckled.

It was already day five of the field trip. More and more teams were fully reformed, except for a few who continued to search before regrouping. Most if not all of the hidden statues had been found, which meant the last two days would be spent solely between teams fighting each other and fighting any second years who remained. Among the few who had yet to find any of their teammates, even one of their own, were Yang and Ren.

"So between the two of us, we have a total of four of these statues." Yang counted, switching her gaze from the gold and bronze that she held, and the two silvers that Ren held. "Now that I think about it, seven days is a heck of a lot of time. We still have forty eight hours before time's up."

"Don't forget that we still have to regroup with our teams." Ren pointed out calmly.

"Yeah I know, but we don't have to worry that, we always pull through somehow. I'm sure that we'll stumble into them sooner or later. Somehow, we always come out on top one way or another. Luck is on our side, my second third quiet mysterious friend." Yang joked, lightly elbowing the green-clad boy.

"You have a lot of faith in luck." Ren remarked looking at the smiling blonde. " _Reminds me of Nora; that always cheerful attitude that can brighten any mood._ " he smiled, the first smile Yang had ever seen come from the always-stoic Ren. "I suppose you're right. It's no use in worrying about how much time we have left."

"Now that's the spirit!" Yang exclaimed, but suddenly flipped from carefree to cautious, as if expecting an intrusion. "Hold on, I think I hear something." she alerter Ren, holding her—gauntlet covered—arm out to stop him.

"Where?" Ren whispered, clutching his holstered emerald green SMGs.

The two stood perfectly still, utilizing their five senses to the best of their ability, without the interference of their own movement. If anything were to approach the two, they would know how many and where from, and Indeed they did. When footsteps drew closer and grew louder, the two turned their heads to see a short black haired girl in black and red, and an orange haired girl. The first to reunite since their separation, were Yang and Ruby.

"Yang!" Ruby exclaimed, running and jumping onto her sister. "We finally found another part of team RWBY!"

"Heh, see? I told you things would work themselves out." Yang boasted, patting her little sister's head proudly. "Good to see you're still in one piece, little sis. I knew you would do great without me and Madara. Did you find any of those statues?"

"Yep, Penny and I got two from this one second year guy named Pum." Ruby said, bringing out her bronze statue. "Penny has a silver one. What about you two?"

"Looks like we have a full set for team RWBY, and we need one more for Jaune's." Yang explained. "All we have to do to not get expelled is find Blake and Weiss.."

"Excuse me," Penny interjected, raising a single hand up. "I have noticed the overwhelmingly large focus on obtaining these statues. If I may ask, why is that?"

"Well, we have to or we'll be expelled right?." Ruby explained with a puzzled look.

"No we will not." Penny countered. "Professor Port said that 'teams that fail to complete the objective shall be expelled upon return.' he did not say that collecting the statues was the objective, but just a suggestion. Our only assigned objective is to rendezvous with our team members… Did Madara never tell you this?" She asked, looking at the three wide-eyed and awed faces. "Was I not supposed to tell you?"

* * *

 **Weiss, Pyrrha, and Madara**

* * *

"You can't be serious." Weiss doubted, reluctant to accept the truth that stood before her.

"I am serious." Madara replied stoically. "The statues were nothing more than a diversion, hence why I didn't attempt to collect any."

At that moment, Weiss and Pyrrha alike probably hadn't felt as ashamed of themselves before in their lives. They were by no means stupid, anyone would know that, but for two of the smartest girls in the their grade, to be duped by simple wordplay was almost embarrassing for the two. Still, though, even if it wasn't mandatory, they treated it as if it was. Perhaps that was why he had waited until now to even mention it. After all, he could have let them continue to believe that they needed to obtain the statues for their teams. Additionally, if they couldn't figure it out without someone telling them, it would stand to reason that others similarly couldn't deduce the truth, which in turn would mean they had a slight advantage over their colleagues who didn't have complete sets.

"So then all we need to do now is find the others, but the question is where to start? All of our scrolls were left behind before we arrived at the train station. Even with my polarity there is a limit to its effective range. Will it still be enough with how much time we have left?".Pyrrha asked with a worried look.

"A reasonable concern, but it has been accounted for. With regards to Ruby and Yang, pinpointing them will be no problem." Madara declared. "It is a simple task; for to locate them now would take a minute at the longest." he explained, activating his basic Sharingan.

"And how do you do that without a scroll or anything? Did you attach a GPS to them?" Weiss asked. "I'd really hope that's not the case. Doing something like that would be really creepy if you ask me."

"That would be ridiculous. I am not so tactless that I would implant devices like that on others." Madara denied, while—less than fondly—remembering the several control tags he used many decades ago, along with the White Zetsu spores used for reconnaissance and surveillance. Madara Uchiha was known for and as many things. Some he took pride in and some he was ashamed for. Labelling himself as a hypocrite was something he'd like to keep out of both categories, given his more self respecting nature.

More importantly, was that for unknown reasons, the two sisters emitted a unique signature when under the gaze of Madara's crimson red eyes. Through these, he could easily locate them from long distances so long as his eyes were red and black. More on the peculiar side was that he didn't know where it came from or why. Only visible through his Sharingan, the energy would flicker in and out of existence randomly, as if their auras were contaminated. It was something he theorized only his more advanced eyes could provide him insight with. Unfortunately, his Mangekyou weren't quite enough. The signatures were more solid, and appeared to last for longer periods of time, but their consistencies were still unstable.

"I have found them." Madara declared after only searching for about ten seconds. "On me." he ordered, beginning to walk northwest.

"Pyrrha, I've been wondering, have you noticed that a lot of things don't make sense with him?" Weiss whispered, she and Pyrrha following from a distance. "I'm not trying to say I'm suspicious of something, it's too early to say that. It's just… there's too much that doesn't connect. He doesn't have any known blood-relatives, was made an exception to the 'team of four' system, and what he did against that grimm."

"It _does_ seem odd that Professor Ozpin would exclude him from any team, and his only partner is a recent transfer, whom we know nothing about as well. Unfortunately, there is likely noone who will be able to enlighten us." Pyrrha replied, keeping her head and eyes facing forward. "Perhaps he will tell us himself in the future. It may be better not to pry unless he is willing."

"I suppose you're right. He wouldn't budge even if we tried… actually. Pyrrha, you saw how he took down the grimm, where do you think he would fall in the strength category?" Weiss asked, turning her eyes back to stare at Madara's back, " _He's strong, I wonder how she would rate him._ " she mused.

"That's hard to say." Pyrrha remarked, resting her chin on her thumb and index finger. "The only times I've seen him in combat were against Yang twice, Ruby once, and the chimera. I believe that he is more skilled than I am." her answer shocked Weiss, who nearly tripped over herself to eat the dirt with a wide open mouth. "Is… is that a problem?" the redhead asked with a concerned look.

"N-No, not at all." Weiss protested. "I just wasn't expecting for you of all people to say that. I don't think I've ever seen you lose in one of your televised competitions before, even after ten consecutive fights, hence your alias." She boasted.

"I have some talents, but I wouldn't ever call myself invincible, Weiss." Pyrrha rejected the compliment, glancing away shyly from Weiss for a brief second. "I am certain that there are people younger and with more potential than I ever could have. It seems to be a principle that our world operates on; no matter how powerful or strong you may be, there will always be someone that will surpass you. In the future, even we will be nothing compared to our successors." she explained. Most didn't know, let alone understand Pyrrha. The world labelled her as an untouchable, perfect individual with only more room to grow. Countless advertisers, businesses, powerful influences worldwide requested her to join them, as if she was an investment. Unfortunately, she wasn't just some object. The difficult thing was getting people to understand that.

Weiss nodded, partially understanding what her friend was trying to express. "" _I see. So then would that make him the strongest individually. How would he do against an entire team though. I wonder if he'd agree to go against all of team RWBY. He knows how we all fight though. He's never seen us fight as a team has he?_ " the white haired girl thought to herself.

Suddenly, Madara stopped walking, prompting the girls to do the same. There was a sound of thunder, as Madara jumped back, lest he be hit by a bullet of unknown origin. He continued to move, twelve other bullets flying and missing. Retrieving his weapon from his pocket, Madara gripped his Gunbai, clicking a series of buttons in a different combination than he had before. The arrangement of wind dust crystals changed, from a series of curves and straight columns, to several circles in a ripple pattern slanted outwards. Pulling the trigger, the four rings glew bright, and sent four shockwaves in every direction. Weiss and Pyrrha braced, watching as the trees around them shook and swayed violently.

"Where are they?" Pyrrha asked, understanding that the attack was an Area Of Effect type.

Almost on cue, just three individuals dropped from the cover of the trees. However, they weren't students, first or second year. They wore white masks with red markings much like the White Fang did, but the lack of uniform suggested otherwise. They all wore black robes that concealed the rest of their bodies. No weapons were visible, but their bloodlusted gazes could be felt from the short distance.

"What's going on?" Pyrrha asked. "Where is the enemy?"

"Huh?" Weissed looked at Pyrrha confused as she pointed her blade at the shortest cloaked individual. "Pyrrha, they're right in front of us."

"I… I don't see anyone except for you and Madara." Pyrrha replied cluelessly, still drawing her sword and shield.

" _It's her again._ " Madara thought, recognizing the aura emanating from one of the figures. It was the same as the green haired girl he had encountered in Beacon's library. It was Emerald, or "Em" she called herself. " _She must have cast a genjutsu before approaching us that would make them invisible. It would have been useless on me like the first time, so instead Pyrrha was chosen. However, she only used it on Pyrrha, instead of maximizing its effectiveness and putting Weiss under its influence as well. There must be a limit, either to it or to her._ " he quickly deduced, inputting another combination into his Gunbai. " _However, that smaller one… I cannot sense any aura coming from them, just like Jaune. The nerve of someone without an aura cloak to challenge us._ " he gave a small smile of anticipation. If someone was going to attempt to fight them with a steep disadvantage, then they must have had a good reason. Either the cloaked figure had an ace or two up their sleeve, or were skilled enough to not need any.

"What do you want?" Weiss asked, keeping two in her field of view at all times. There was no reply, except the tallest of the three held their hands together, cracking their knuckles. "Nothing huh? Fine." Weiss spun the barrel in her rapier once more, stabbing the blade into the ground and encasing the three's feet in ice. Unfortunately, it didn't work as planned. The ice that immobilized the tallest and shortest suddenly shattered, freeing the two who in turn assisted Emerald. " _Well that worked about as well as I expected._ " Weiss thought to herself sarcastically.

"Weiss." Madara called out, calmly walking towards the clueless Pyrrha. Weiss nodded, spinning the barrel again.

She switched to fire and with a wave her rapier unleashed a wide bar of fire dust at the three. In response, the shortest stepped forward and quickly clapped their hands together with great speed. Inexplicably, the generated force rivaled the intensity of the flames, quickly overpowering it and snuffing the flames out as if they were embers.

" _Wait, what was that._ " Madara paused, his eyes opening wide. " _Just then, the moment they put their hands together, I saw an aura… so that's it._ " he realized. "Weiss, change of plans. You're with me." Madara ordered, cracking his own knuckles.

"But what about Pyrrha? We can't protect her if we're busy fighting."

"Doton: Dorō Dōmu" Madara pressed his hands to the floor, and a large dome of earth enveloped Pyrrha. "She will be fine. Focus on our targets. Take the tallest of them. My opponents are the other two." He assured. With the amount of chakra he used to construct and reinforce the dome, even a bullhead crashing down on it would do minimal damage.

"You got it." Weiss accepted, content with not having to fight two at once.

The tallest cloaked individual let out a short chuckle, revealing a young man's voice behind the mask. Subsequently, they received an elbow to the stomach from Emerald. They probably weren't meant to reveal their true identities in any way, even including their genders. Whoever stood at the top of their chain of command was probably a professional. These small details were enough to put together a picture; a picture of their objective. This was an assassination, though unfortunately for them, it wasn't a very successful one.

Madara snapped his fingers, signalling for Weiss and him to commence their attack. They advanced at the same time, using their own skills to close the distance between them and the enemy almost instantly. Emerald and the shortest jumped in opposite directions to avoid Madara's axe kick, which hit the ground hard enough to break through the dirt and kick up dust. Weiss thrusted her rapier, but the man kicked it away from him. Weiss retracted her arm, and thrusted her sword rapidly. The man dodged and blocked every strike as if they were nothing, but whether it was difficult for him was hard to tell due to his attire. Nonetheless, Weiss continued, changing her dust use to electricity and creating a large net to paralyze him. She missed his torso, but one of the stray strands of electricity struck his leg, causing him to let out a short gasp of pain.

"Wait, _that wasn't meant to hurt… unless his leg is actually made of met- that's it!_ " Weiss concluded. The only way for her attack to have caused anything more than paralysis, would be for the energy to pass through his body deeper than the skin. His reaction confirmed her theory. " _Alright, I can do this. I'll just have to rely on Madara to deal with the other two._ "

Just as she thought, Madara already engaged in combat against the two, first targeting Emerald who wielded a pair of dark green Kama. Try as she did, the sharp blades couldn't even scratch the beige paint on the Gunbai. With another pull of the trigger, Emerald was thrown into the air by a massive blast of wind. To counter, she transformed the small scythes into handguns, and fired continuously at Madara, who shielded himself with the body of his warfan, Emerald landed back on the ground, but couldn't react fast enough when Madara appeared in front of her, delivering a roundhouse kick into her stomach. Her aura managed to absorb the potential damage, but was in turn depleted by a significant amount. Upon rough estimate, she had a little over half of her aura supply remaining. Another hit like that would put her in the red zone.

" _Is this all they have to offer?_ " Madara asked himself disappointed/ " _How unfortunate. I have yet to find a real opponent since_ _ **her**_ _._ "

"Retreat." the shortest of the three, who hadn't moved since the first evasion, muttered in a deep feminine to her allies.

The two turned to look at the girl, the masks covering their faces hid their expressions, but they did as they were told, and returned to her side.

"We weren't supposed to talk." Emerald scolded. "And your little friend isn't part of our objective."

"Doesn't matter. To fight now is pointless. Mission is a success. We will retreat." she declared, which Nadara raised an eyebrow to. If it was an assassination attempt, then they would have failed. If not, and having achieved nothing, just what was their objective?

"Now just hold on, we're not going to let you leave without answering some of our questions." Weiss said, still ready to strike. However, Madara raised his hand in front of her, establishing a cease in combat. With the opportunity to escape made, the three disappeared back into the trees from whence they came, leaving Weiss and Madara, the latter of which destroyed the stone dome around Pyrrha.

"is it over?" Pyrrha asked, and Madara nodded lightly. "I see. I'm sorry that I could not be more helpful. Instead I was a liability." the redhead apologized, lowering her head to face her feet.

"It doesn't matter. What is important is that we were victorious, and sustained no casualties." Madara replied.

"Hang on just a minute, Madara. Why did you let them go?" Weiss demanded as she holstered her sword. "We were winning the fight. We could've captured them and turned them into the authorities." she protested.

"It would have been a drain on our of time if we chose to keep them restrained and monitored. If Pyrrha could be affected by subliminal influences, then you could just as likely be vulnerable, which would make me the only suitable candidate. They aren't worth the energy or resources. We have more important things to do." He explained. At some point during the confrontation, he managed to determine multiple potential properties of Emerald's illusion semblance. For one, it probably had a certain range of effectiveness. Two, for whatever reason they chose not to put both Pyrrha and Weiss under its influence. This could mean multiple things. Either her semblance had a effectivity limit of one, or that any more than one was not an option given the circumstances. Unfortunately there wasn't enough to definitively decide anything. Luckily, there was little to no doubt that this wasn't the last encounter.

Though they didn't actively pursue the three, there wasn't necessarily a need to. Because their presence in the forest was apart of a field examination, they were always being monitored by proctors and other staff, which meant professional huntsmen and huntresses were always present. The three intruders had probably been detected by the school's security when they entered and exited. This much, Madara was sure of, and hopefully the girls would come to this realization as well. However, it did beg the question: if that were truly the case and the three had been monitored since they intruded, how did they even manage to trespass into the forest?

"Now, we have all of our team members to locate." Madara announced as he turned away from the girls, and they nodded. With the bump in the road cleared, it was time to resume their march northeast in a search for their teammates. it wouldn't be long before they would come across some of their allies. Seven would be soon reunited, leaving three to go. Hopefully they could gather together before time has run out. They didn't have very much longer.

* * *

 **Elsewhere**

* * *

"So it's really her huh?" a boy asked his scroll, more specifically the person on the other side, not too far away.

"Yes… I'm sorry." the deep voice of a certain gray haired old man replied solemnly.

"It's fine. I was scared, and let these things happen. When the chance comes, and it will soon, I won't hesitate. Not this time." he declared, letting his fist clench automatically. "I know that's probably not the kind of thing you want to hear, but sometimes you just have to do things. even if no one else wants you to either."

"Unfortunately so… nonetheless, they will be reaching the edge of the forest soon. They'll be gone before long. You should return to your team soon. There's only a day and a half remaining. Goodnight, Mr. Mekah. "

"Got it, and Pum's the name I use, remember?" and with that, he hung up and pocketed the device, letting out a heavy sigh. " _Ozpin, you own a school meant to train warriors to fight monsters, but then Blake Belladonna, Madara Uchiha, more students who seem more adept at fighting other people have entered. Did you not learn your lesson after team STRQ?… I really need to stop talking to myself. I'm not even one to talk._ " he mentally face palmed.

 **END**

 **One more chapter until this arc is over, and we'll get to more stuff, which will hopefully be just as or more interesting. Just as I said above, I have no clue who a pairing would be with Madara. I don't think it'd be good to pair him with either Ruby or Yang, cuz well, y'know. Maybe Pyrrha, maybe Weiss, etc. atm they are my main candidates for a few different reasons.**


	19. Chapter 19

**DBZFanboy16- I… wasn't planning on any harems (O-O;;)7.**

 **I think I now know who'll be paired with Madara. I won't be making any harems honestly. I'm not good at all with them. Then again, I'm not good with romance in general, but I'll try my best.**

Chapter 19

* * *

 **Northern Station**

* * *

"Huzzah!" Professor Port cheered as he watched student after student return with their teams fully reunited and statues in hand. Of course, some of the teams returned empty handed, terrified with the consequences they assumed would follow. Nonetheless, they would have to wait for all other teams to return before anything would actually happen. "Now if my eyes are still just as reliable as they used to be, then excluding the second year volunteer students, I count eight teams. All that is left are team JNPR, team RWBY, Mr. Uchiha, Ms. Polendina, and-oh, There they are!" he exclaimed as yet another team had returned. "That leaves three. With such little time remaining, I can only pray that they will be able to return safely and successful. It would pain this heart of mine for them to fail. Nevertheless! I must treat them fairly, equal to any other."

"Professor, you're monologuing." Coco, a second year student and leader of team CFVY pointed out as she leaned back against a tree.

"Ah, my apologies Ms. Adel. As you probably know, it's a habit of mine." Port apologized.

"I'm a fan of it. Keeps class interesting. It's a fun contrast to the 'legs are for chumps'-Oobleck who gets lectures over in minutes." Pum replied.

"Speaking of contrast," Coco glared at her fellow team leader from behind her sunglasses. "I heard you gave away some of your statues. Are you stupid? That defeated the purpose of holding them in the first place." she scolded.

"Eh come on. He said we could lend a hand if we wanted, so I did. I think those two have some potential in them, maybe more than we do." he shrugged with a nervous smile. "We didn't give away all of them though. Ness and I still have two."

"If you don't mind me asking," Coco's teammate, a rabbit Faunus named Velvet asked shyly. "Where _is_ Ness? We haven't seen her since the second day."

"Oh, she caught a fever about three or four days in. She just told us to hide somewhere away and then went back to Beacon early." Pum explained. "Nobody knows what got her sick, but I'm sure she's fine though… pretty sure… I hope… she's never been a strong-body kind of person. Thank the lord for aura right?" he let out an uneasy chuckle. "But anyways, looks like team PNNK needs to leave early for a mission. Apparently they need us earlier than expected. I'll leave the welcoming party to you and the others."

"See ya." Coco waved nonchalauntly, not watching as the boy rounded up his fellow teammates and boarded one of the trains. However, she suddenly flinched as she felt something brush against her face. " _What? Is this… sand?_ " she asked herself as she spat out small particles. " _There's not a desert within a hundred miles of here, and what's with this taste?_ "

"Um, Coco?" Velvet stared with a concerned look. "What's wrong? Did something get in your mouth?"

"I'm fine." the short haired brunette replied. "I… I think I just… ate aura?" she looked down at her own hand, quickly perishing the thought. "It's nothing, let's just take a break."

* * *

 **Blake, Nora, and Jaune**

* * *

"Dang, we haven't seen anyone in two days." Jaune whined anxiously. "This is bad. We don't have much longer before our time is up. What are we going to do?"

"Be quiet and keep looking, if you want to give up then don't drag us both down." Blake snapped, her eye twitching slightly in annoyance. "Complaining won't get us anywhere. We just have to keep looking-where did Nora go?" she suddenly asked, noticing the absence of their orange headed friend. Jaune too noticed, though at a later time, and appeared to search the surrounding area frantically.

"Nora!" Jaune shouted at the top of his lungs. "Come back here please!" Unfortunately, there wasn't a reply. "Aw crap. She must've went off to start a fight with something, or she could be looking for them on her own." he reasoned.

"Does she have any idea where they could be?" Blake asked.

"I have no clue. I heard that she has some way that she and Ren can communicate, but I don't believe her. Sloths do not make _that_ sound." he muttered, before his nose suddenly began to itch. "What the?"

"Is this sand?" Blake asked, feeling the particles brush against her as well. "Where did it come from?"

"Maybe our teammates are using it to help us find them?" Jaune suggested. "There's no other way there'd be sand somewhere like this, right?"

"That… makes as much sense as it can." Blake accepted. Considering their surroundings, and distance from anywhere that could reasonably contain sand, the only way they would have felt the grains would be if they were brought into the forest. If they followed where the sand came from, they would at least find someone, even if they weren't the ones the two were looking for. For all they knew, Nora could have detected it before they did, and started on the trail early. Hopefully they would find what was the origin of this sand, but something gave the two an ominous feeling of dread, as if something was following them, or they were approaching something.

"Blake, if you don't mind me asking, how did you unlock your semblance?" Jaune inquired as he and the quiet girl in black walked side by side.

"Shouldn't you ask your teammates?" Blake replied with a raised eyebrow.

"I have, but they all said different things, so I figured it'd be smart to ask a lot of people. Pyrrha said her's came from intense training, Nora just figured her semblance out when she got hit by lightning or something. I didn't get the chance to ask Ren yet. I was going to ask everyone else before this whole thing started, but you know how life can be." he explained. "Basically, I'm trying to find a way to unlock my own. Despite the training I've been doing, nothing's worked. So if you know how you got yours, would you mind telling me?" he requested. There wasn't any reason she had not to show him. Keeping things private was important of course, but it was an acceptable exchange. Blake didn't know how for a fact, pretty much nobody did due to the nature of semblances varying from person to person. Therefore she wouldn't lose anything for giving him her opinion. Additionally, Jaune unlocking his semblance, whatever it may be, could potentially end up making him a more powerful ally.

"I first learned I could use my semblance when I was backed to a corner, and had to escape from some…" she paused, realizing her slight miscalculation. Jaune didn't know her secret. Nobody but Madara did. She couldn't say "I was attacked by anti-faunus humans" without giving away the fact that she herself was a faunus. That was something she didn't want anyone to discover, let alone this boy she barely trusted to begin with. She quickly raced through her wordbank, and found a recovery point. "Sorry, I was being chased by some thugs as a kid and I escaped when I left behind my shadow as a decoy. I would say it's triggered by fear, or a primal survival instinct kicking in." she suggested.

"I see." Jaune muttered. " _Is that really how? Jeez. that can't be the only way. I don't want to come anywhere near death just yet. There's too much I haven't done!_ " he screamed to himself. " _Wait, no that couldn't be the only way, right? I mean, I don't think Pyrrha's ever been in any real danger like that before. It was just an act of god for Nora. I wonder if it's more simple than just 'survival'... or is it more complex? Ugh, this is too confusing_." he whined to himself.

Suddenly, the blonde boy's train of thought was halted, smothered by a gust of sand-carried wind, and the sound of a loud roar that echoed throughout the entire forest. It was an unholy shriek, more vicious than any noise a grimm had ever emitted. There were several slight dips within the midst of the screech, almost as if whatever created the noise was also laughing hysterically. Needless to say, the two had heard nothing like it before. If it wasn't a living creature, what could be in the forest to emit the sound? Mountain slides and falling trees certainly never made sounds as loud or as bizarre. If it _was_ coming from a living being, what in the world was it?

"W-wha…What was that?" Jaune was at a complete loss for words, practically frozen in fear. Blake was in a similar state, but she managed to keep her nerves in check. However, the two were lesser prepared by the following screaming voice of their orange haired friend.

"Jaune, Blake!" Nora shouted as she came into view. "Look! I found this huge sand sculptur-" Nora attempted to announce before she was suddenly knocked off of her feet not by a second roar, but what felt like arms or air dragged behind a body moving at incredible speed.

" _Ruby?_ " Blake asked, remembering how her team leader was one of the only people who could cause such a phenomenon. However, it wasn't her, which wasn't to say she hadn't been there.

"Blake? Blake!" Ruby's voice suddenly reached the two's ears, and they turned to see their teammates altogether.

"G-guys!" Jaune exclaimed, getting up and running to his team members. "You guys are all okay!" he announced relieved.

"Yup, but I think it's a little more surprising that _we_ are." Nora teased, prompting her leader to sulk. "Ah come on, you know I'm just kidding."

"Did you guys hear that weird shriek sound?" Yang asked.

"How could she not have? Everyone in the entire forest probably heard it." Weiss answered for their black haired teammate. "More importantly, did you see Madara come this way? The moment that roar stopped, he just left." Blake shook her head. She didn't see him, but given which way Nora was pulled, she could make an educated guess. Blake pointed in the general direction of where he probably went, and everyone nodded.

"We should resume our pursuit of my partner. If there is a danger, it is important to give him support." Penny suggested. Obviously, the two boys and six girls around her agreed undoubtedly.

* * *

 **Madara**

* * *

"Never did I think something like this could have happened, but in hindsight, perhaps I should have entertained the thought." the black haired Uchiha said to himself, staring blankly at what could only be described as a monster.

It was massive, easily larger than the surrounding trees and probably measured at least twenty meters tall with the general shape of an obese raccoon dog. Its skin was a sandy brown. Its body was covered from head to toe in black markings, all different from one another. Its sclera were pitch black with golden yellow eyes. The pupils were shaped like four-pointed stars, with four black dots on the "corners". Arguably the most distinguishing feature was its tail, longer than its body and with the same color scheme. Within its body, the creature contained an enormous amount of chakra, not aura. It wasn't a grimm, in fact, Madara knew exactly what and _who_ it was.

"The one tailed beast, the Ichibi Shukaku." Madara muttered to himself. " _If it is here, then that means the ten tails is no longer whole… which probably also means that the other eight tailed beast are somewhere else. The question is, why and how is it here?_ " he asked himself.

"You!" the massive beast shouted at the raven haired boy. "Now that I am awake, I am going to crush you into-" it suddenly froze, eyes moving slowly as if scanning the boy. "You're… smaller and weaker, I can sense it… no, it doesn't matter. Where have you brought me and where is my jinchuuriki?!" Shukaku demanded.

"I do not know?" Madara replied with crossed arms. "And I am not responsible for your current situation."

"Bullshit! You captured me and the other tailed beast, and then you lost the battle against Kaguya. Now we're here!" it screamed in irritation.

" _You were conscious?_ " Madara asked himself. From every piece of information he could gather, the juubi, the ten tailed beast, was a mindless monster that could only be controlled by a sage of six paths. How was the ichibi, being apart of that same creature, able to remain sentient during that time and how was he never aware of this? Was Shukaku the cause of the bizarre coloration of the forest? If so, what could the other beasts be doing wherever they happened to find themselves? Unfortunately, the chances that the two could just sit down and talk about it probably weren't very high.

"Whatever, it doesn't matter. I'm gonna pay you back for all of the trouble you put me through!" Shukaku declared, raising one of its large arms and slamming it down.

"Raiton: Kaminari-mō" Madara uttered, spreading his fingers out as if reaching for the arm. Ten long strands of electricity emerged and sprouted, forming a large net of electricity. Because Shukaku's body was made entirely out of sand infused with chakra, Madara's lightning network was able to repel the tailed beast's first attack. Shukaku was capable of using earth, wind, and magnet release, Madara knew all five basic natures, yin, yang, and storm release. His arsenal was larger by far, but their chakra reserves were roughly at the same capacity. On top of that, while both knew that Madara was weaker due to a younger and weaker body, the beast's speed and strength also seemed to be diminished for some reason. Unfortunately, anyone but Madara wouldn't be able to notice. Weaker or not, Shukaku was still a powerful entity, a beast of pure chakra that could devastate a nation if it so chose to. If it managed to get somewhere with an unlimited access to resources, like the deserts of Vacuo, the results could be cataclysmic. Something had to be done to stop it.

" _Without my rinnegan and the gedo statue, I won't be able to reform the ten tails, and without Hashirama's wood release I can't suppress its chakra. This is a serious issue. What's more, I need to end this as quickly as possible, lest it be discovered by the others._ " he thought, leaping in and out of the tanuki's attack range.

"Still fast huh?" Shukaku scoffed. "Well then, try this on for size!" the long sand arms retracted, and formed a hand sign in front of its body. "Fūton: Daitoppa!" suddenly, Shukaku expelled a massive gust of wind from its mouth aimed straight at Madara.

"Katon: Hōsenka no Jutsu" Madara returned fire, literally, by spitting out several small fireballs.

Unlike what one may assume, that the exchange would be the same as blowing out a candle, the small fireballs had ignited the gust, consuming it completely and negating the tailed beast's attack entirely and exploding violently. Shukaku staggered back from the blast, more furious than before. It quickly switched tactics, changing from wind release to earth and magnet. It brought forth a large amount of sand from its own body, as well as sand it created from breaking the earth beneath them. It created an ever growing tidal wave of sand, an unstoppable force knocking down every tree in its path. Despite using several lightning release jutsu, the wave continued to advance, forcing him to retreat.

"Once I kick your ass, the Kyuubi's going to be so pissed, I can already imagine it!" Shukaku laughed hard.

"You've escaped your leash, but I will put it back on in time." Madara replied smugly. "Unfortunately, you're all causing me a great deal of trouble now. I'll take this chance I have for a walk down memory lane." his eyes glew bright red, the black tomoe forming comets. He closed his left eyes, and widened his right as much as possible.

"Hachiman!" he exclaimed, his right pupil spinning rapidly.

The massive wave of sand had reached the Uchiha, threatening to swallow and crush the man under its weight, but instead, the wave of sand washed past him. Shukaku hadn't willed it to occur. It was as if an invisible wall had been erected to protect him from the sand wave. The technique Madara used was effectively impenetrable by any means of force; an immovable object. The tanuki's attack had subsided, having no effect on the target. His pupil stopped spinning and glowing, and the wall subsequently dissipated into the nothingness from whence it came.

" _The pain caused by use of the mangekyou…I haven't felt it in a long time, but it is negligible."_ Madara thought, reopening his left eye and ignoring the seering sensation slowly fading from his right. " _I wonder just how embarrassing it must be for the Ichibi. There are three absolute defenses, and its is the most inferior._ " he smirked condescendingly.

"Rrg!" Shukaku growled. "Fine, take some of this!" the tanuki slammed its tail into the ground, putting both hands on the ground and facing the sky, small orbs of red and blue chakra began to gather a meter above its mouth, coalescing into a dark purple sphere. The chakra condensed, but continued to grow. In seconds, it was about ten meters in diameter, with enough destructive force to annihilate their surroundings with a four kilometer radius.

"A tailed beast ball…" Madara named. " _If I want to prevent any serious damage, I have to neutralize it with equal force._ " he theorized. " _The Susanoo should be able to do it, but it puts the most strain of all three abilities. I suppose I'll just have to use my left eye._ " watching the sphere shrink to half of its original size, while retaining its chakra content, Madara expelled a large portion of the chakra stored in his body, leaving just enough to activate his eyes twice. Shukaku didn't care, it was too busy preparing to destroy everything around it.

"Die!" Shukaku commanded, lowering its head and launching the purple sphere of annihilation at the man who merely raised a hand up in response. The sphere flew quickly, faster than the bullets even Ruby used for her scythe's high caliber rifle. It could punch clean through steel walls, but was unable to do the same with Madara. Resisting the kinetic energy the bomb carried as it flew, the Uchiha was pushed back by five meters, but his feet remained planted in the ground. As it pushed, the sphere shrunk smaller and smaller, the chakra contained within was transferred to Madara's body, restoring his reserves equal to how much he had released, leaving the sand demon speechless.

"That was close." Madara sighed. "I do believe this is the first time I have used my left eye on a tailed beast bomb. It would be tragic if I were to fail."

"W-what the hell did you just do?!" Shukaku demanded, pointing a large light brown finger at his opponent comically.

"Uke-Mochi; my left eye's power is to absorb chakra. Whether it is normal, senjutsu, or tailed beast chakra does not matter." Madara explained. What he didn't admit to the tanuki were the conditions and the risks that came with using the eye's power. For starters, he could only absorb chakra from an inert source: I.e. a person's body or a container like the tailed beast bomb. Absorbing active jutsu like the rasenshuriken or amaterasu were reserved for the Rinnegan alone. The risk factor and consequences for improperly using the dojutsu was the most pressing concern. Simply put, he _had_ to expel his chakra beforehand and not just so the bomb would be completely negated. If he didn't, the overflow of chakra could cause dangerous complications within his chakra network which would require a considerable amount time to recover from. For that reason, using his sharingan to measure the amount of chakra in himself and what he was going to absorb was crucial. Fortunately, use of the eye carried another positive effect. Not only could he absorb chakra, he could utilize that same chakra.

Tailed beasts were never known to show fear of any kind. There wasn't ever a reason to. They were effectively immortal, and more powerful than nearly every shinobi. Even when faced with a superior opponent, they never wavered and fought to the bitter end. Yet, Shukaku almost seemed to shiver when it could see the visible red chakra emanating from the legendary Uchiha's body.

"Thinking back, I do not believe that I had ever used this kind of chakra, excluding the ten tails of course. It's heavier than senjutsu chakra, more volatile." Madara commented, clenching his fist and confirming his increase in power. "Now the battle really starts. I trust that you won't be trying large-scale destructive techniques anymore? There are certain things within the vicinity I'd rather leave unscathed."

"The hell are you talking about?!" Shukaku asked confused. "Don't give me that shit! Since when have you ever had something to 'protect'? Are you trying to make me laugh?" The beast's answer came soon, with the rustling of trees and several voices calling out the same word.

"Madara!" up to eight or nine people shouted continuously, and eventually the bodies those voices belonged to had appeared. This time, it was Madara who nearly shivered. "Madar-" Ruby paused upon seeing her step-brother beside a massive sand demon. "Woah~ what is that?" he was in awe, silver eyes wide in curiosity.

"Is that… a raccoon?" Ruby asked.

"Guys, it doesn't look friendly… maybe we should grab Madara and leave." Jaune suggested, on the verge of turning tail and running top speed away.

"More humans?" Shukaku spoke with a confused tone. "Hmm… I guess these are the people you talked about." there wasn't time to ponder the thought, as Shukaku could barely raise a sand shield in time to defend against Madara's punch.

"You will not touch them." Madara said, without a hint of anything but pure malice in his voice. Not only the Ichibi, but even his fellow students could feel the darkness that suddenly enveloped the Uchiha. No one would be surprised if a horde of grimm started heading their way, drawn to negative emotions as they were. It was the first time any of them had seen him like that, Ruby and Yang included. It was also the first time any of them had ever seen chakra, as nothing else could explain the several translucent rings of solid orange and blue flames that formed around his body.

"Hmm… it looks like someone's hit a nerve, kekeke." Shukaku commented. "You can't kill me, brat, and without your fancy chains I'm free as a bird. I could do whatever I want!" he shouted. "But I get a bad feeling that doing something right now could cause me trouble later… Fine, I'll leave your little cohorts alone for now, but we will settle this soon. I have some exploring to do." slowly, the large creature turned its body, and all of the sudden vanished in the same way Madara could. It too could use the shunshin no jutsu, and left behind nothing more than a group of destroyed trees and bushes crushed underneath its weight. Similarly, the construct that surrounded Madara dissipated, and his mangekyou sharingan reverted to black pupils.

"Damnit _._ " Madara cursed under his breath. " _If it is discovered by the kingdoms, then there will be a war to retrieve it and the other tailed beasts. Not only will they fail, but hundreds or thousands will undoubtedly die. It will be just as it was in the elemental nations… I've been using my time to leisurely. I need to develop a fuinjutsu, then I'll have to locate the nine of them one by one. However, the immaturity of my eyes limits me. I cannot use my eyes for any reason other than in battle against the nine tailed beasts._ " he strategized, looking like a lifeless statue due to a lack of movements. " _If the kingdoms make any moves to capture them, I have no choice but to stop them by any mea-"_

"Remnant to Madara!" Yang called out, grabbing the boy's attention. "You in there?"

"What is it?" Madara looked up from the ground to face his comrades.

"What the heck _was_ that?!" Nora exclaimed. "It looked like you were about to kill the thing with your stare, and where did it go?"

"Madara, what is going on?" Weiss asked. "What exactly is your history with that creature? It can't be a grimm, but I've never seen something like that before in my life."

"It's an old acquaintance, so to speak." he replied simply. "I do not wish to discuss the topic. At the moment, what is more important is that everyone has assembled. We should all be progressing to the northern train station before we are expelled."

"...everyone, go on ahead." Yang instructed.

"Yang?" Ruby looked at the her older sister with a concerned gaze.

"We just need some time alone." Yang followed up. "We'll be right behind you guys, so get a move on alright?"

Reluctantly, the eight began to walk with Ruby leading the group. Yang and Madara waited patiently until they were a considerable distance away, enough that they wouldn't be able to overhear, until they would begin talking. Yang's eyes slowly turned red, but not for battle. She was irritated. Her eyes, deep red as a rose bud, demanded something from him.

"I assume you want me to talk." Madara deduced.

"You're keeping a secret from us, and a huge one." Yang pointed out. "And I don't mean the usual 'i broke something important' kind of secret that Ruby has. You know something important enough to keep from family, which means you think it could be a danger to us if we found out, isn't that right?" she demanded in a clear voice.

"Correct." Madara allowed.

"So what, you think we can't handle it?" Yang raised her voice, clenching her fists. "Has everything we've done been for nothing?"

Madara exhaled lightly, keeping a stoic expression on his face. "This is something that concerns me and me alone, Yang. The beast exists because of my failures, and I am the only one in this entire world who can defeat it and the rest."

Yang released the grip in her shaking fist and her eyes returned to their lavender hue. "Who did you lose?" she asked, getting a visible eye twitch from her step-brother. "Before we met, in that forest when you saved me, I lost someone important and had the same mindset as you do now. What are you going to do if you screw up, when you're the one who needs to be protected, but there's noone there to help? If whatever monster you're trying to fight wins, what will happen next? I _know_ I'm not as strong as you, or as smart, and maybe I never will be. Maybe none of us will be able to really understand you, but that doesn't mean we're just liabilities. If we're not strong enough, we'll get stronger. So believe in us just a little bit, okay?" she all but begged, a single miniscule droplet of water rolling down from the corner of her eye. "We're all going Beacon Academy, so we're all going to be the protectors of the world."

There weren't many words to- well, actually there were plenty of words to describe the current situation. Perhaps one of those words could be nostalgia. It wasn't a spitting image, but it was close enough to recall the memory of an old friend. That man believed that true strength came from a group, and not just a single man with power. Though he and Madara had differing opinions, the former's seemed to win over more often than not.

"I suppose I cannot stop you." Madara muttered, staring eye-to-eye with Yang.

"Nope, you, Ruby and dad know that better than anyone else." she smirked. "And you should also know well that nobody in our family ever gives up, no matter what. So when we get back to Beacon, you better not be going off to do stupid things, especially not alone." she demanded.

"As you wish…" Madara acquiesced. Satisfied with the response, Yang nodded and turned to follow her friends, Madara close behind. " _I can only wonder how long it has been since I accepted the support of others. Hashirama would surely be laughing. unless he is watching me right now, in which case he is already laughing at my expense. Damn him and his ideals._ " he chuckled to himself, before grimacing. " _Regrettably, It seems like we both were right. I can keep the secret for a while longer, but I won't be able to keep the promise, Summer._ "

 **END**

 **Can we just give a small round of applaud for this being the first chapter to hit past 5k? no? okay.**


	20. Chapter 20

**Janed12000- The tailed beasts are nigh-unstoppable for anyone but Madara, and aura is clearly inferior to chakra. It'll take more than team RWBY and/or team JNPR has on their own to reach a level where they could make a large difference. But I'll say now, just by being around, they're getting stronger each day.**

 **Maplemare- uh, I don't think they will be. They care about one another, but I don't think it's in a romantic sense.**

 **DBZFanboy16- Don't worry about it man, I understand how you feel. I'm not a big harem person either, especially when the main girl chosen shouldn't be the main girl.** _ **Cough cough 80% of romance anime.**_

Chapter 20

Everyone is special. That is what parents tell to their children right? If not, then maybe they've said "everyone is born unique. No two people are the exact same". Even in the case of identical twins, genetically the same, personalities and experiences are the distinguishing factor. Unfortunately, this did not to apply to machines. Robots, drones, assembly arms, and the like were all uniform, and without minds or souls of their own, they would never become anything more than slightly more advanced tools to be used. However, not every machine was mindless and soulless like the grimm. Penny Polendina was proof of that. Her body, though made out of metal, plastic, circuitry and dust, housed a living soul as its core and source of power. That was what made the girl unique, the only "living" machine. She was one of a kind and nothing could ever change that. After all, even as a concept while it was possible to create an artificial body, it was completely impossible to create a soul.

* * *

 **Dormitory Rooftop**

* * *

It was the first night since the students had returned from their field trip. Two teams, or lack thereof, had been unsuccessful and were subsequently removed from the Academy. Tragic as it was, they chose to prioritize their faux objective over the well being of their comrades, which made them no better than even the enemy they enrolled to fight. Their expulsion wasn't permanent, but they wouldn't be able to re-apply until the following year, hopefully with better mindsets. Those who had passed the test enjoyed the sweet relief of rest in beds they hadn't used in seven days. Some rejoiced over the fact that they could return to their comfortable housing. Others were indifferent over the change in sleeping environment and returned no different from when they left. For one, well, they didn't seem to be able to sleep. It wasn't insomnia or any mental issues like night terrors. They simply didn't have any need to sleep, period.

"This is quite an issue." Penny said quietly to herself, keeping her voice low enough that nobody would be able to hear her. "I am experiencing numerous critical errors of unknown origin. I suspect that I have been exposed to a harmful agent at some point since I had arrived at Beacon Academy. Due to a lack of information, I cannot determine a method to effectively repair damages."

Suddenly, Penny felt a brief vibration coming from her pocket. Taking out and looking at the scroll, she noticed a small blinking light on the top right corner. Someone had messaged her about something, which was odd since she had yet to share her contact number with anyone. Nobody should have known her number, not even the headmaster himself. Hesitantly, the girl turned her scroll on and opened the messaging app. There was a single item in her inbox, not a text, just an image. Her eyes scanned carefully, and was shocked to see what it was. It was a picture taken of and by a girl, a girl who looked almost identical to Penny herself. They had the same black pants, the same gray overalls, the same long sleeved white shirt, and even the same emerald green eyes. The only difference that seemed to exist was that the girl in the picture was her hair. The girl's hair wasn't orange, and wasn't as fluffy. It was held in a pair of twin tails, and was pitch black.

" _Who is this? No records exist of such an individual… was this me in a conceptual state? It is possible that father had me take this picture and erased the memory once I was completed. He was always adamant on variety… but this is not a message sent by him. We wouldn't transmit this kind of information by any means other than by hand._ " as she continued to stare, there was something else that she hadn't noticed. There was what looked like a tag on the girl's ankle, with bizarre text written on it, "S.N.O.W. D-2 N".

It was at that moment that Penny turned off the scroll and returned it to her pocket. She raised her leg up and lifted the same leg as the girl's in the picture, and saw a tag of her own. It was similar, but with its own distinct differences. The tag that was attached to her read, "S.N.O.W. D-3 P". It was yet another nail in the proverbial coffin, and another question to occupy her head.

"I… I do not understand. This tag does not correspond to my tag in the picture. More importantly, how is it that I have never known of this tag myself?" she asked herself. Despite the fact that it was attached to her, presumably since she was created, she hadn't ever been told about it, nor was she made aware of its existence, as if she wasn't meant to find out about it. "Father… what exactly is the meaning of this?" she asked the quiet darkness of the moonlight night.

* * *

 **Next Day - Oobleck's Classroom**

* * *

"Okay, so between Ren and Blake, who would win?" Yang whispered to her younger sister while they were _supposed_ to be paying attention to the ongoing lecture. "Obviously Blake right?"

"I don't know… they're both really quick, but Ren has better weapons." Ruby whispered back. "They're both have burst and rapid fire modes, and they don't need to take any time to transform. They could slash and fire at the same time."

"Yeah but you're focusing too much on the weapons though. It's the person holding the trigger that can do anything. Besides, Blake is more accurate with her gun, she doesn't just spray and pray." Yang retorted.

"Would you two be quiet and pay attention?!" Weiss snapped, for yet another time, at the sibling pair who never seemed to pay any heed to classes. "Good lord, you two never seem to change." she mentally facepalmed, turning her head back to the front of the classroom.

"Oh come on, Weiss. Doctor Oobleck's just talking about Patch's early years. Ruby and I know it like the back of our hand." she boasted, not expecting what was to come next.

"Is that so… Ms. Xiao Long?" Oobleck's voice suddenly slowed to a near halt, gathering the attention of every student whether they were focused in the lectures or not. He quickly resumed, with the same overwhelming speed that he always had. "So far I have allowed you and your sister to continue your banter because I was sure that by the next test, you would realize your mistakes, as well as the current stability in your grades based on your exams. Now it has come to my attention that you are actually confident enough in your historical knowledge especially that of your homeland to such an extent that my lectures feel irrelavent. Today that I shall test you with a series of questions and determine whether you are either honest or simply brash."

"Really huh?" Yang said to herself, interpreting his declaration as a challenge. "Bring it on!"

"Very well then. I will start off with a relatively simple question." Oobleck announced with a slight adjustment of his thick glasses. "The island known as Patch is known for a large series of mountains and forests, however without a doubt the most well known landmark of the island is the Seasonal Cliffside, for being the only part of the landmass that can become covered in a large layer of snow. Why does this phenomena occur?" he finished in a single breath.

The entire class had their eyes on the blonde who dared to accept Oobleck's challenge. She stood tall with her head held high. Her smile didn't waver as she locked eyes with her professor ready to respond with her answer.

"Easy, it was caused by a local deposit of wind and ice crystals. Early mining with explosives shot a lot of ice dust debris right into the sky and it mixed with the clouds. Since then those clouds circle back over to that side of the island and create snowfall." Yang answered.

"That is correct. Well down Ms. Xiao Long." he congratulated. "Now for my next question. As we've covered earlier this day, Patch was relatively untouched during the great war, despite its massive quantities of dust. Why did Vale's government choose not to use the island to obtain their much needed resources?"

"Because the people refused the construction of mines and draining of the natural resources. The government and king knew that doing something like that would go against the freedom they were fighting for. Repressing citizens in favor of a stronger society was what Atlas and Mistral believed in, and they were the enemy during the war."

"Correct once again." Oobleck stated, before coughing into his hand. "Now, for one final question, if you would be so kind; why was Patch given its name?" he put plainly.

When the previous questions were asked, Yang smiled as she knew the answer. She learned it from school years ago, from her father, and had it all memorized. Despite what most thought, she was quite knowledgeable on many locations in Vale, and even beyond. Her ultimate goal was to become an adventurer, and to do that, knowing her way around the world was essential. However, this was a detail that had escaped her. No, it was never there to begin with. She was all but certain that she had never heard the answer before, not even in the classroom.

"I don't know, I don't think you ever said." Yang replied, hiding her nervous side behind a stoic frown.

"Correct." Oobleck replied, sending the whole class into quiet murmurs and confused whispers. "You are correct in the regard that I never mentioned it because I have never said it in class. Rather, during my lecture on the subject of Patch's founding, I had it written on the blackboard." he explained, pointing his thermos at the board on the far right. "Does anyone remember the answer?" He inquired from the entire class. Of course, most of the class didn't raise their hands or blurt out an answer. Sad as it was, they didn't remember either.

Pyrrha was one of the few brave enough, and diligent enough, to step up and offer their words to the class, and Oobleck nodded. "The island of Patch was named after Eugene Patch. He was a general in the early years of the great war. He was also responsible for the second bloodiest battle in the war; the Battle at Bronze Fortress. Shortly after the fortress was lost, he took his own life out of grief."

"That is correct. You may sit down, Ms. Nikos." After hearing an answer that he was satisfied with, Oobleck readjusted his glasses and turned from his blonde teenage student to face the entire class. "Students keep in mind that my goal isn't to belittle or call out and humiliate any of you. It was simply a good opportunity to say this. General Patch was one of the most effective generals in history. Knowing that, you may ask 'what happened?'. The answer was little more than a simple oversight. It is said that, while stationed at the fortress, General Patch had neglected to read an order from his superiors to retreat. He believed that the defenses he established and the amount of soldiers present would be more than enough to fend off an attack. He was wrong, and it was because of his overconfidence that a tragedy was able to occur. I am a firm believer that if you do not learn history, then you are destined to repeat it. I urge you all to stay as alert and diligent. It would be no less of a tragedy, compared to that disaster, than if one of my students lost their life when they could have so easily come out alive. That is all."

Upon his final statement, the classroom bell rung and so came the end of the period. With the usual parting words and reminders Oobleck had always gave in passing, the students flooded out and headed towards the cafeteria. Most of them that is, while others had more important matters to attend to than hanging out with friends to eat. To be specific, a girl with long white hair and a goal of her very own.

* * *

 **East Courtyard**

* * *

Weiss stood alone, slowing her breathing to a near halt and tensing nearly every muscle in her body. Her rapier was pointed upwards, facing away and at a pillar ahead of her. Lying on the concrete floor below her was a white glyph, about four meters in diameter and spinning slowly. It did not have the same design as her others. While her time dilation had the insignia of clock hands, and others had the crest of the Schee family, this glyph had the design of a single large solid dot in the center with three circling comma marks. Aura was being channelled into the glyph and what looked small sparks of electricity appeared as a result. Unfortunately, the small strands of energy began to dissipate, followed by the flicker and fade of the glyph itself.

"Dang." Weiss sighed heavily, lowering the blade as she pulled out her scroll to look at her aura monitor. " _That took way too much aura and for so little output… but if I get more experienced with it, I won't have to use as much aura to form the glyphs. I don't have a ton left, I can do it one or two more times before I need to stop and rest,_ " she calculated. With a long inhale, she put away her device and held up her sword once more, only to be interrupted by a visitor.

"Weiss?" Penny's voice reached the Ice Queen's ears, causing her to stop what she was doing and turn.

"Oh… hello Penny." Weiss greeted, still holding her sword by her side. "What brings you here?"

"Nothing in particular. I have just been wandering actually." Penny replied. "Madara informed me that he would be supervising Ruby and Yang while they perform modifications to their equipment. In the meantime, I decided to observe my friends. I have just come from a short exchange with Blake, in fact."

"I see… so they're upgrading their weapons. I guess i should be grateful that they're doing _something_ to improve." she remarked. "Wait, I've inspected Ruby's scythe before. Putting aside the difference in our fighting styles, there's virtually no way that thing could cut any better. What kind of changes are they doing to that?"

"I do not know, but I believe she wishes to make it some sort of surprise." Penny replied. "They have always been an unpredictable group of three… on another note, what are you doing?" she asked with a tilt of her head.

"I'm just… practicing with my glyphs." Weiss answered hesitantly. "I was just about to start working on dust substitution."

"You're what? I have never heard of such a technique, not even from the Schnee family, which is in control of the largest dust supplying company in the world." Penny's eyes widened with curiosity.

"It's something I've made on my own a little while ago. I had a little inspiration and thought it'd be a good thing to try to expand my arsenal. It's not actually creating dust out of nowhere or anything, but recreating the effects with aura as a substitute. It's… still a work in progress"

"How much have you practiced with this previously?" Penny asked.

"To be honest, i've only just started, and it's not going very well. Nothing happened except for a bit of static on the ground. Even so, I need to keep trying until I get it right. I know I can do this," Weiss replied, turning away from her guest to continue with her practice.

There was a brief moment of silence as Penny thought about what Weiss said. If she knew she could, she would have been grinning smugly. Penny knew what her "inspiration" was: it couldn't have been anyone else but her very own partner. While he didn't use aura to perform his techniques, which were more than anything dust itself was capable of most of the time, if she succeeded then the possibilities were endless. A natural and reusable substitution of dust would all but remove the dangers of mining and refining dust. If people could simply use their aura instead of dust, humanity as a whole would no longer be so reliant on nature's wrath. There would also be much less worry over dust shortages or dust robberies, all of which would reduce the threat of the grimm. However, the other side of this potential was the danger it posed to companies that existed solely on dust. They would surely go out of business if the demand plummeted. One such example was her own family business. Though it seemed that that didn't matter to Weiss.

Just as before, a large white glyph appeared in front of her, accelerating as the seconds past. Her eyes sharpened on the image of a large sphere of fire that was expelled from mouth of her ally, her friend. The size of the original creation, the intensity and strength that it carried, every small detail that she could remember about it. The glyph performed its job to recreate the image to the best of its ability. As newly created and unstable as it was, it somehow managed to generate miniscule results. A small candle fire rose from the center of the construct, burning eternally as it hovered a meter above the ground.

" _This is unbelievable._ " Penny thought as she marvelled at the accomplishment.

The small success took an unforeseen turn. The small wisp began to expand rapidly, starling Weiss and breaking her concentration. The glyph vanished, but despite its absence the flame continued to grow to three meters in diameter.

Weiss was quick to react, forming two black barrier glyphs in front of her and Penny. The flame suddenly shrunk and detonated, exploding like a small supernova and scorching the ground below. The barriers resisted, but shattered under the force applied, throwing the two girls back.

"Gah!" Weiss yelped as her back hit a pillar with a loud thud. The impact breaking the remaining aura around her. Luckily she was mostly unscathed, save for a few small burn marks across her arms. Parts of her white dress were charred to a crisp, which was unfortunate but acceptable. " _I'm alright… good. I wasn't expecting it to go haywire like that, but that didn't make any sense. I didn't have nearly enough in me to generate something like that. There was some kind of interference… well, I won't be able to do anything about it now. I should count my blessings_ "

She let out a sigh of relief, glad that she hadn't sustained any grievous damage, before turning to look at Penny. She appeared to be almost completely fine, which made sense, as her aura should have been at full capacity. However, multiple sections of her white sleave seemed to be hanging from her left arm. What's more, she went limp, her eyes wide open as if she was suddenly frozen in time.

"Penny?" Weiss called out with a suspicious stare. As she crept closer, she could see what laid under the sleeve. Instead of skin, it was some metallic gray underneath. What was even more concerning was an, all too familiar, white symbol engraved on her arm. It was a gear-like circle surrounding a cog, with a spear at the center. It was a symbol of her homeland, as well as the symbol of their military.

It was then that the girl in question had regained consciousness, and a quick scan revealed her damages. She turned her head to face a confused Weiss, and frantically moved to cover her own injured arm with her other.

"W-Weiss… I, uh… I can't… I need to go." Penny excused herself, turning away to make a quick exit.

"Hang on a minute." Weiss commanded. "Your arm; it's Atlas tech, isn't it?" she asked rhetorically. "I know that symbol anywhere… what is going on?"

She was pushed into a corner. At least, that's what it felt like for her. There wasn't any way for her to leave without leaving behind questions. Best case scenario, she would continue to look for answers. Being a Schnee, she definitely had connections to powerful people including several other wealthy families, and more importantly, the upper echelons of the Atlas military. Worst case scenario, news could spread about her mystery and more people would become weary of her. Becoming a target was the last thing she wanted. There was no time to formulate a plausible lie. As such, there was one option she could think of.

"Weiss… there's something I need you to keep a secret." Penny muttered.

"A-Alright…" Weiss replied hesitantly. Penny paused for a moment, inhaling a deep breath and holding it for a few seconds,

"I'm… I'm not an actual human, and I am not a faunus either." she admitted. "The truth is… that I am what would be called an android, the first synthetic person capable of generating aura."

Weiss stared dumbfounded. At most, she thought it was just a prosthetic: one of many often used by soldiers and citizens alike. Sure, it had the icon of the Atlas military, but nearly all bionic limbs produced in Atlas did. Maybe it was on a loan and she had to keep it a secret or something. She wasn't at all expecting for the girl in front of her claim to be a machine. Artificial intelligence was advanced, but not to the extent that a human personality could be replicated. All things considered she should have completely doubted this ridiculous claim, but she was Weiss Schnee. She knew a fifteen year old girl invited, by the headmaster, into one of the greatest combat schools in the world. She knew a man who could harness the elements without dust like magic. She herself was attempting to develop a glyph and technique that never existed before. Simply put, anything was possible, even a fully functioning artificial human.

"Wow… to be honest, it's a bit much to take in." Weiss commented, unsure of what else to say.

"You don't seem as surprised as I thought you would have been." Penny said with a less cautious, more curious tone. "I suppose that is a good thing?"

"Y-yeah, I think so. You haven't told anyone else about this have you?" Weiss asked.

"No," Penny shook her head. "Though I suspect Madara may know, I cannot confirm. Up until now, you are the only person I have divulged this information to." Penny answered. "My father instructed me to keep it as clandestine as possible."

" _I can see why. If word got out about machinery this advanced, there'd be a lot of trouble concerning machines. It'd probably be worse than the human-faunus relationship. Some radicalist would stir up violence and a war might end up breaking out._ " Weiss thought, before shaking the idea out of her head. It wasn't the time to be worrying about such a thing. What mattered now was Penny, not the potential dangers of her legacy. "Well, if that's how it is, I won't tell a soul." she promised.

"Thank you so much!" Penny exclaimed, stepping forward and embracing the white-clad girl abruptly.

"Y-yeah… don't mention it." she struggled to breath under the strength of this inhuman girl. "You should probably get your arm patched up though. I think I have some sewing equipment in our dorm room."

"I understand. Thank you for your assistance." Penny replied, quickly letting go and covering her arm once more.

" _She said something about being the first, but then she stopped. Was she not supposed to say that she was, or was she incorrect? It didn't sound forced at all. Is there really another like her? If so, then where and what could they be?_ " Weiss asked herself as she followed behind the girl in question. " _I could ask… no, there's nobody I could really go to about this. I doubt I'd even be able to find anyone who'd give me info. Maybe if I used my credentials, I could do some digging and find out about her 'father', if Polendina even is her father's last name._ "

 **END**


	21. Chapter 21

**Amerdism- Right now.**

 **Guest- You need to have an account to PM I believe.**

Chapter 21

* * *

 **Principal's Office**

* * *

"Now that everyone available is here, I would like to call this meeting into order." Ozpin spoke to four anonymous holographic panels from the comfort of his personal chair. "Regarding the dust robberies and the upcoming Vytal festival. In case none of you are aware, there has been a large issue with robberies, especially that of dust. Other smaller crimes have also increased in activity over the same period of time."

"With all due respect, are we sure the festival should be held at Beacon Academy? Given these incidents you have described, there is a chance that students may be in danger." One of the panels spoke with a concerned tone. "If we are to hold it within your jurisdiction, Ozpin, I would suggest deploying my soldiers and a fleet of airships as a safety measure. Showing our enemies an ounce of our strength will surely convince them to have second thoughts on causing trouble."

"Lots of men and lots of guns, very much like you Jimmy." Qrow's voice came from one of the panels. "You know that lots of people from across the world will be coming in person and a lot more will be tuning in. What do you think anyone with a few brain cells would think if they saw that a couple hundred men with guns standing around like they were about to fight a war. We don't need anyone talking about things they don't know, especially the news channels."

"Which is to say, during a time of peace an army would be a sign of oncoming dangers, and those negative emotions would bring about an increase in local grimm activity. Therefore, It would be ill-advised to deploy weapons unless they are apart of the festival." Ozpin corrected in hopes of saving face.

"While that is understandable, I would agree with General Ironwood." An uneasy man spoke softly. "It would be better to have Huntsmen and Huntresses instead of soldiers, but unfortunately locating enough of them and scheduling would be too much of a hassle. Most of mine have been… unavailable… and won't be able to assist."

"The safety of those children should always be at the top of our list of priorities. They are the future and we should care for them the most." The fourth and final panel spoke in a calm and calculating tone. "My students are more than capable on their own. Even a wide-scale grimm invasion would be little more than a training exercise. Do whatever you all please, but any incident will be your responsibilities."

"Vacuo's true leader, pleasant as always. Whoever you guys decide to put at the front gates to check IDs is none of my business. You all can figure out the details of security later without me too. So let's get to the dust issue while I'm still sober." Qrow remarked, prompting a throat clearing from Ozpin and Ironwood alike. "Anyways, to reiterate the first problem, Dust is disappearing and going nowhere. None of its circling back into the system. Prices are skyrocketing all over the world. The best info I can dig up is that it's local. The robberies are pretty much only happening in Vale, but there have been some rumors of incidents in Mistral's slums and Vacuo's Vacuo. I suggest both of you start looking into it before it gets out of hand." He directed two of the four headmasters as if he was their superior.

"O-of course." the cowardly man replied.

"My huntsmen are already investigating the issue. Over a dozen criminals have been apprehended." Shade Academy's headmaster declared. "Which is more than what can be said for Vale, I believe."

"Unfortunately so." Ozpin replied. "Locating Roman Torchwick has been more difficult than previously believed. According to reports acquired from Qrow, he has been travelling internationally for unknown reasons. We do not have information on his current whereabouts. For now, all we can do is prepare our best defenses, with _discretion_ of course." he explained.

"But what will we do when discrete stops being effective?" General Ironwood asked. "The enemy will make itself known sooner or later. When they do, we need to be ready for them."

"And we will be, but keeping them in the dark would be the smarter decision." Ozpin answered. "We do not know what they are capable of, which keeps us from making any large-scale moves. We should extend the same courtesy and keep them at bay as well."

"Agreed." Qrow concurred. "Now then, I'll be taking my leave now. I have some business to take care of." and with that, the seasoned Huntsmen's panel disappeared.

"Now, is that all we are here to discuss?" General Ironwood asked. "I believe that we _all_ have domestic matters to take care of."

"Um, before we conclude this meeting, there is one thing I would like to request." Haven's headmaster asked. "I would like to request the implementation of a new program between our schools."

* * *

 **Southern Training Yard**

* * *

"So this is what, like the eleventh time this since the year started?" Weiss asked the black-clad girl beside her.

"I stopped counting." Blake replied, staring indifferently at the feud between the other half of their team.

" _Just how many times has this happened total? No doubt it numbers in the hundreds. What does their overall win/loss record look like?_ " Weiss wondered as she watched.

Ruby sidestepped, avoiding the impact a golden gauntlet-clad punch and redirecting the arm with an upward kick. She fired a shot from her weapon's sniper form at the ground in front of her, flinging her back and creating a ten meter long gap between her and her sister. She took aim and fired three more bullets. Two were blocked, but one broke through Yang's defenses and scraped against her cheek, chipping off a chunk of her aura cloak in the process. She charged, firing shells behind her to act as thrust.

It wasn't time to worry yet. Ruby knew that she was still faster than Yang was even with the increase in speed. In an instant, she dashed into her sister's blindspot, and swung her scythe diagonally.

"Nope!" Yang shouted as she spun her body around, pushing off the blade and avoiding a direct hit. With one hand still holding onto the head of the scythe, she pulled the tip of the blade deep into the ground, trapping it where it landed.

Without her weapon and her enemy at such a close proximity, Ruby was forced to abandon her beloved Crescent Rose and switch to hand to hand. Obviously, she was at a severe disadvantage. Yang was much more proficient in that area of combat than she was. Her sister's combination of kickboxing, mixed martial arts, her gauntlets, and above all her semblance made her a nightmare to trade punches with. The only advantages she held were her smaller frame and superior speed. Her best choices were either to slowly widdle down her sister whilst avoiding any direct hits, or slip past and retrieve her scythe from the earth. Unfortunately, both would be extremely difficult for her and her small noodle arms. Nonetheless, she had to act quick and make a decision.

Yang punched downward at the ground, creating a small quake that broke the floor into spiked fragments of stone and dirt. With the terrain uneven, it would be harder for Ruby to build and maintain the high speeds that were her lifeline. However, this also meant that the restraints that held the red scythe had also weakened. As such, Yang repositioned herself in a more favorable position, standing directly between Ruby and her beloved weapon.

"Get ready to lose again, little sis!" Yang shouted, switching out the shells in her gauntlets with explosive red colored slugs.

Ruby growled back, staring into her sister's lavender eyes and digging one of her feet into the dirt. She ran at top speed directly towards Yang, her entire body transforming into a red blur. it was unexpected, for her to take such an approach, but Yang did not waver. If Ruby continued in a straight line, all Yang would have to do is sidestep and swing down. A well placed chop to the neck could take her out of the fight entirely. She raised her arms and prepared to counter, but the large swirling mass of rose petals never touched her. Yang was left frozen and speechless, as hundreds of rose petals flew past her. She tried to turn around, but felt two feet planting themselves into her back of her neck and head. She stumbled forward, flailing her arms wildly as she struggled to stay on her feet.

" _What was that?!_ " Yang asked herself as she glared fiercely. " _Since when did Ruby ever do that?_ "

" _Phew, I didn't think I could pull that off on my first try._ " Ruby told herself with a nervous smile.

"Hey, where'd you get that fancy move from?" Yang demanded to know. "Did you learn that from Madara or something?"

"N-no. That was… the secret power of my eyes." Ruby replied back. Of course, she was entirely bluffing. Her eyes were silver, nothing more. To think that they would do something like cast illusions or turn her body into her trademark was utterly ridiculous. Nobody would be able to do something like that.

In reality, what Ruby did wasn't anything more than another ability of her semblance she unlocked at some point during their seven day field trip. It was akin to a short ranged teleportation; she could split her body amongst small lightweight objects and reform somewhere close by. The trade off was that the technique itself costed a large amount of aura to perform meaning that, for the time being, she could only use it once or twice in a single battle. Luckily she didn't need to use it again, she had managed to successfully return to her scythe's side. The head was still partially buried, but it didn't matter. The petite girl grabbed the pole of her weapon with both hands, one of which slid down to a button just above the trigger. She pressed it, and the entire scythe began to hum. The hum slowly escalated into a piercing screech, as electricity sparked from the head. The ground the held it down was pulverized, and Ruby lifted it upright.

Weiss and Blake were dumbfounded at the sight. The gray blade of the red scythe was covered in a cloak of transparent white and blue crackling energy. No known dust could create those effects let alone cause such destruction to its environment. The best guess either of them could make was that this was the "modification" she had performed the day before. Which only warranted the question: what kind of modification did Yang's gauntlets have?

"Take this!" Ruby shouted, leaping into the air and firing a bullet behind her.

A head on clash was undesirable for Yang. The incoming attack was more than she could handle. Even with her gauntlets as a shield, a direct hit from the lightning charged blade would shred her aura apart. She hadn't sustained enough damage or felt enough anger to get any effective use out of her semblance. It was going to take a slightly smarter approach. Luckily, Yang noticed that the she could use the situation to her advantage.

" _Yea~no._ " she smirked as she dashed away from what was about to be ground zero.

Ruby gasped as Crescent Rose, which she had already swung, hit the ground once more. However instead of trapping itself again, the lightning channelled through it was sent into the rock and dirt and caused an explosion of energy. A large amount of debris was thrown into the air, blinding and inducing a serious cough among the girls. Luckily, they didn't have to suffer the after effects for any prolonged periods of time. Thanks to the help of a small amount of wind dust, courtesy of Weiss, the debris was blown away allowing her allies to breath and see once more. With the cloud of particles cleared, they were speechless to see Ruby lying beside her weapon in a large crater of her own creation. It was at least a meter deep, with a four meter radius, all caused by the electric discharge from Crescent Rose's blade.

"Woah…" Yang stared. "Glad that didn't hit me, still my win though." she chuckled lightly.

"Is she… still alive?" Blake asked, with an actual sense of worry in her voice.

"Oh she's fine~. Hey, Ruby!" The blonde older sister called out. In response, there was a low and pained groan coming from the epicenter. "See? Give her a moment, she'll be back up."

" _In what world does that mean 'okay'?!_ " Both Weiss and Blake thought as they glanced back and forth between each other and their leader.

"Quite a show, ladies." the composed voice an old man emerged from behind, along with sipping from a coffee mug. "I do hope you know what you are doing though. Our nurse cannot heal every kind of injury."

"Professor Ozpin?" Weiss asked. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, as it so happens, there has been an addition to your curriculum at this school. Rather, it would be more appropriate to say _outside_ of this school. A colleague of mine had suggested, and gotten approved for, an exchange program. To put simply, the four academies will be temporarily sending their students to one another. We will be receiving students from Haven, Shade, and Atlas. Likewise, we are recruiting students to explore their facilities and cultures as well." Ozpin explained, pausing for the girls to process the information.

The four members of Team RWBY looked at one another, leaving communication to be done through their eyes. Ruby and Yang hadn't been outside of the Kingdom of Vale before. Yang wanted to save that pleasure for when she was a fully fledged Huntress. Ruby, however, simply never found a reason to. She was more than comfortable with what she was familiar with. She never encountered a situation that the need to travel out of the kingdom would arise. From Blake's perspective, there was nothing at any of the other academies that she could stand to gain. The things she wanted and needed were well within the boundaries of the kingdom. Most importantly, the risk of being transferred to Vacuo was the biggest deterrent. There were more than a few things housed within the desert kingdom that she would much rather avoid. Weiss, unlike the her team members, was the only one who had been to Mistral before. Unfortunately, there was an inexplicable feeling that urged her to remain at Beacon. In accordance with Murphy's Law, leaving the academy at this time would be a grave mistake.

"Sorry Professor Ozpin, but we will have to decline the offer." Ruby spoke on behalf of her friends. Ozpin blinked once before nodding in acceptance.

"I understand. Have a good day, ladies. Remember to clean up the mess you've made before leaving. These grounds _are_ used by other students… oh yes, one last thing. A few students from Haven and Shade academy will be arriving this afternoon and most of tomorrow. If you encounter them, please give them a warm welcome." and with that, the gray haired man turned and departed, leaving the girls with a large hole to figure out what to do with.

"We're going to need a lot of earth dust… Weiss?" Yang asked, as a long and heavy sigh followed.

" _What am I, a janitor?_ " she asked herself, retrieving several vials of brown colored dust powder from her hidden dust holster. " _I should just have them carry dust too. Maybe that'll make them a bit more responsible._ " she wondered, but quickly perished the thought as she remembered just who the people she was thinking about were.

"Well, let's get this stuff cleaned up and greet our guests!" Ruby commanded. " _I can't wait to see what kind of weapons they use. I bet they'll be really cool!_ "

"Before that… your weapon." Blake paused their leader and pointed at Ruby's scythe. "That wasn't dust, so how did it do that?"

"Oh, uh, I don't really know _how_ exactly." Ruby said as she scratched the back of her head. "It's a little complicated. Back when I first made Crescent Rose, we melted an old sword Madara had and used that metal for the blade since it was sharper and more durable than any of the other materials. A few days ago he helped me attach a weird slip of paper or something onto the back of the blade that's inside of the head, but there was no way to trigger anything to happen, so we added this button that would make the paper do whatever it does. Now whenever I press the button, the blade gets covered in electricity and becomes ten times sharper and faster. I don't know how the lightning thing works though. I think it has to do with something called Chakra, which I think is just a fancy way to say Aura." Ruby tried to explain with the little expertise she had on the subject.

"He was going to do something similar with mine, but I said no thanks. I like these babies just the way they are." Yang said, smiling while looking down at her golden bracelets… and absolutely nothing else.

" _Madara again… where and how is he hiding all of these things._ " Blake wondered. " _If he wanted, he could probably mass produce whatever those papers are and sell them to weapon companies. If one tag could do that, then a couple hundred could completely destroy any amount of grimm no matter the size. He could be one of the richest people in the world if he really wanted, so why doesn't he?_ " she asked herself.

The mystery surrounding the boy with pitch black hair and blood red eyes was more than she could understand. The more she thought about it, the more unanswerable questions arose. More and more, his mere existence made less and less sense. He had elemental control on a level that could be nearly indistinguishable from magic. He had the ability to imbue that same kind of power into weapons and people alike. He was acquainted with massive beasts capable of human speech. His eyes changed both color and design, and seemed to give him access to even more abilities. It was as if he played by a completely different set of physical laws, assuming he even did that. Despite being the same age as her, he could perform acts that nobody she knew could. Despite not even being a professional huntsmen, he could beat Adam Taurus like he was nothing. He could face an army of thieves and murderers without flinching. Heck, If a god were to stare him down with the intent to kill, he would probably laugh in its face. He had the potential to be one of, if not the _most_ , powerful man in the entire world, more so than even the king of Vale that ended the great war. All of which begged the question, why was he going to a school? According to Yang, he was skilled enough to fend off Beowolves at eight years old like it was nothing. He didn't need the training that Beacon could afford. The only explanation she could think of was that he was either searching for something or he was waiting for something. Above all, the integral question was: who, or _what_ , was Madara Uchiha?

* * *

 **Team JNPR dorm room**

* * *

"Hey, Pyrrha, did you also receive the message from the school?" Jaune asked, pointing to an open email on his scroll.

"Yes, Jaune." Pyrrha replied. "I just… don't know whether or not I should do it. I would like to visit my old classmates once more, as they are probably attending Haven Academy, but we have been away from the school for an entire week just recently. Leaving again so soon feels wrong. Maybe I am overthinking this, but I think that there is something wrong with this program." Pyrrha began muttering to herself. "Nevertheless, I don't think I would feel comfortable leaving my team again."

"Pyrrha…" Jaune stared. "If you want to go, then go ahead." he reassured his partner, placing a firm hand on her shoulder as he smiled warmly. "It's not everyday that you get a chance like this. You won't be gone for long anyways, and we can hold our own until you get back. I promise."

Pyrrha looked at her team leader's confident smile, a smile he very seldom wore. It wasn't long ago that he had been a cowardly boy who barely understood how to hold the sword he constantly carried. Even now, he was just barely below the level where he could fight on his own against another student. He was always missing some things that no one seemed to be capable of identifying. He wouldn't ever be truly ready until that was changed, and he could break through his shell completely. Even so, with the few times he smiled sincerely, he never quite gave up no matter how difficult the task he was given.

"I see." Pyrrha glanced down at herself, looking back up and Jaune. "If you are sure, then I will go, but make sure you do not skip out on your daily practice."

"I… I won't." Jaune said in the least convincing way possible. "I promise, and if I forget, you can scold me as much as you want when you get back."

"Ugh, get a room you two!" Nora chimed in with her expected level of restraint and subtlety.

"Nora… this _is_ their room." Ren was quick to point out, as if their exchange was rehearsed. "Pyrrha, do not worry, we will make sure our team leader stays diligent." he promised.

"Thank you, Ren. I trust all of you from the bottom of my heart." Pyrrha replied. " _Who else might be visiting Mistral I wonder… it's odd. Despite my comrades' reassurance, I can't help but feel that I have made the wrong decision. It's not that I don't trust them… right? No, that's ridiculous. They are my team members, my friends._ "

 **END**

 **Murphy's Law: A rule that states, "If something can go wrong, it will." An addition to this law reads, "and usually at the worst time." I.e. The chance of a piece of bread falling with the buttered side down is directly proportional to the cost of the carpet**

 **Yeah, sorry for the short chapter everyone. Not one of my best weeks. Hey, more stuff will be happening soon though. Shoutout to anyone go got the reference the first time over. What reference? You can look for it, but you're not getting a shoutout.**


	22. Chapter 22

**Marouan- I think I get what you mean, and don't worry. Sorry for the lack of focus on Madara, but I also wanted to share some of the attention with the rest of the cast and show how they are growing just as he is.**

Chapter 22

* * *

 **Haven Academy Grand Hall**

* * *

The Grand Hall was a spacious building, though not as large as Beacon's. Also unlike Beacon's grand hall, it was completely indoors. There were two floors, though without any stairways visible from the main room. There were three doors on the left and right that likely lead to other offices or conference rooms. Paintings lined the green walls on both stories. Instead of dust, the main source of lighting seemed to be traditional lanterns. Spanning the entrance to an elevated platform at the back of the room was a long beige walkway, surrounded by a wooden floor. Directly below the platform was an oddly placed stone statue of a woman with long flowing hair and four golden chains wrapped around her body. Students from all four kingdoms had filled the room on the first floor. The students from Atlas Academy wore white with gray vests and gray skirts for the girls. Adversely, the students from Haven Academy wore almost completely black. The students from Vacuo's Shade Academy wore no uniforms at all, looking the most noticeable. Lastly almost all of the visiting students of Vale's Beacon wore their black and gold uniforms with the exceptions of Penny and Madara, who never wore school uniforms for varying reasons. All things considered they looked more like they belonged to Shade than Beacon, Madara more so than Penny did. The latter of which seemed to be closer to Atlas' students.

The noise of the crowd was at a constant high, as the students from different kingdoms conversed with one another, sharing experiences and differences of cultures. Luckily, a figure of authority finally emerged, standing behind the railing of the elevated platform held up by the statue and two flights of stairs. He wore a long brown coat that concealed most of his visible body. He had long gray hair that extended outwards and a—just as gray—beard, resembling a cross between human hair and a lion's mane. He looked down at all the students with a stoic expression, yet his eyes appeared to almost hold a sense of sorrow behind them. Upon sight, the students gradually quieted down, allowing the man to speak.

"Ahem… Students of the four great Huntsmen Academies, it is with a great honor that I, headmaster of our school, welcome all of you to Haven Academy." The man spoke in a calm tone. "First and foremost, I would like to thank you all for participating in this event. As you all should know, the biennial Vytal Festival is fast approaching. As a result of the extensive amount of mandated training that has taken up most of your time for recreational purposes, our very own council has decided to put this new tradition into practice. Through this program, we are given another opportunity to share our cultures with one another and remember the value of our unity. I do hope that you all are able to enjoy your time here. For the duration of this event, classes have been suspended. You are all free to do as you all please. Whether you wish to challenge one another preemptively, or simply learn about the lifestyles of others, is up to you. That is all, my students, please do your best to assist our visitors." with a bow the man turned to leave the room, disappearing behind a large wooden door.

" _There was another reason for this decision. With only two months from the actual festival, this program was poorly scheduled. It is easily a waste of time and resources._ " Madara thought as he turned to leave the room. " _Although, this saves me time. Thanks to this program, my Kage Bunshin and I can speak directly with the headmasters. Using the resources of all four kingdoms will be quite beneficial. Should things go south, which they often do, I should be able to use genjutsu to convince them_."

"Are we leaving already, Madara?" Penny asked, noticing that he was heading towards the door.

"Yes. there is nothing for us at the moment." he replied. However, as he gripped one of the door handles and pushed, he and Penny heard their names called by the very girl they just mentioned.

"Madara, Penny?" Pyrrha said as she approached the two. "I see, so you both have chosen Haven Academy as well. What brought you here?" she asked. While on her way, she didn't recognize any of the other beacon students on the transport ship that she travelled in. Not that she was looking for anyone, she tried to keep to herself as she always had before. Her seclusion, despite her close proximity to others, wasn't a rare occurrence. It was the price paid for her skill, strength, and title of the "Invincible Girl".

"We boarded shuttle twelve. I believe you arrived on shuttle ten." Penny explained. "Nonetheless, our destinations were the same. As for our objectives, I chose to accompany Madara as I am his partner." her actual reasons were a bit more personal. Madara was, without question, a unique individual and in countless ways. Most importantly, was the mysterious and nigh-undetectable energy he utilized to surpass human limitations. She was sure that the more often she observed him in action, she could be even closer to unlocking the secret to his immense power.

"Curiosity," Madara answered. "It was an opportunity to explore where I've never been." Obviously he was lying, but he couldn't divulge the truth to anyone, let alone Pyrrha. "Why did you come here?" He deflected the question back at the asker.

"I, I came to visit some of my old classmates. I was raised here in Mistral, so I assumed that my fellow graduates would have chosen to attend Haven. Unfortunately, there was no luck. They were unavailable…" She muttered out as she frowned, looking downwards. "It's nothing, really. I only came since it was suggested by the rest of my team." she smiled weakly. "I'm going to take the next ship back and return to Beacon before sundown."

"But, Pyrrha-" Penny tried to interject, but a hand on her shoulder commanded her to halt. "What is it, Madara?" he said nothing, but based on a previous event she witnessed, this gesture meant "leave it alone". She nodded affirmatively. While she didn't quite understand it all, she knew that Pyrrha was in a predicament and needed time alone. After which, she was likely to receive support when it was most necessary. At least, that's how it went the last time.

"it was nice speaking with the two of you again. I'll be leaving now. Enjoy your time here." Pyrrha said, turning to walk away.

"You should know that the last shuttle to Beacon has left." Madara declared. "You're stuck here until tomorrow afternoon, so to speak."

"W-what?" Pyrrha spun back around with a shocked expression. "You're telling the truth?" both Madara and Penny nodded, much to her dismay. She never knew Madara to lie. He held secrets, but it everyone had their own secrets and things they wanted to keep hidden. She was by no means an exception to that. As for his partner; she only spoke with Penny once, and it was very brief, but during that time she could determine that she was a very open and honest type. There wasn't ever any hesitation in her responses and they always seemed genuine.

If they were telling her the truth, then she was going to be there for much longer than she'd like. Even if she had the company of her old "friends", she didn't plan on staying for any prolonged periods of time. What about her friends at Beacon? What about her team? What about Jaune? Fortunately she didn't have to suffer from her anxious habits for long, as an unfamiliar voice shouted for a familiar name.

"Madara~!" the three heard, turning their heads to see a Faunus running towards them. His rugged blonde hair and long golden tail swayed in the air as he ran.

" _It's that boy from the harbor._ " Penny described, having never actually interacted with him before to learn his name. Pyrrha was just as confused. She didn't think anybody outside of their school knew who he was.

"Man, long time no see eh?" The boy greeted with a high five. Unfortunately, he was left hanging.

"Sun Wukong, so you go to Haven Academy." Madara deduced, and Sun nodded.

"Yep, I'm actually the leader of my team, but everyone else is everywhere else." he explained.

"And why did you choose to stay. You wish to see Blake again, don't you?" He asked, remembering the boy's interactions with the black haired faunus girl of Beacon.

"Well actually I was going to go. You see, I was planning on bringing my buddy Neptune, but he doesn't do well near water. Then I was gonna go alone, but I ran into this fortune teller person and they said I should stay here. Said if I did, 'someone you have met will come to you'. I figured that they meant Blake, but looks like I thought wrong. I mean, y'all are still cool too." He said chuckling, scratching the back of his head as he did. "Anyways I'm in the same boat, so if you have nothing better to do, wanna hang out?" Sun offered. "I know all the best spots to go in the city. There's this one are in the fourth lowest level where a ton of idiots like to gather to start some trouble. Right now's the best time to strike if you want to crack some skulls, and feel good about it." he explained.

Mistral was separated into many levels based on elevation. The higher one went, the more well-regulated and safe they would be. Inversely, the lowest levels were overrun by crime and were dangerous for nearly everyone. Most citizens avoided the lower levels in fear of thieves and murderers. ironically , some huntsmen in training would descend to pick fights for hands on self-training. In a manner of speaking, the lower levels were hunting grounds for the would be Huntsmen and Huntresses. Pyrrha never participated in this practice however, for various reasons. Huntsmen and Huntresses were meant to learn to fight and kill grimm, not other humans or faunus. Whenever students _did_ fight one another, it was always in controlled environments, for show more than anything.

That said, they didn't have any alternatives. There wasn't any way home until the next day, and none of them wanted to wander around without any purpose. Perhaps it would be a good chance for some stress relief. The three agreed to accompany the blonde on his antics.

"Madara," Penny said as she and Madara followed from a distance. "I am curious. Why _did_ you choose Haven Academy, instead of remaining at Beacon? Surely there was another reason other than curiosity."

"You need not think about it." Madara replied.

"If there is a way that I can be of assistance, then I will do so. This body is not permanent, and if it is irreparably damaged then I can be rep-" Penny tried to explain, but was swiftly interrupted.

"You would be foolish to value yourself so low. Life, no matter what kind, has importance. No individual can be completely replaced. Your mere existence impacts the world around you." Madara declared with a stern tone, as if she angered him with her claim.

"I see." Penny turned her gaze away from her partner. "Even so, I still wish to help you of my own accord. It would be a chance to demonstrate my combative capabilities." thinking back, Penny had never actually demonstrated her ability to fight. Nobody had ever seen her weapons or how she moved. She was, arguably, as much of a mystery as Madara was. There must have been a reason that she had been so secretive with her prowess. However, it was not the time yet.

"...Very well then. However, what I need from you will not be possible today. I will brief you later today." Madara agreed hesitantly. " _I would be better to not need my genjutsu. It would be more effective this way._ " he decided. The next transport ships weren't only going to be for Beacon, which worked to his advantage.

"I understand… thank you." Penny said smiling.

Eventually, the four reached a cliffside. There were few houses beneath them, the area was mostly occupied by pubs and weapon stores. Occasionally, there appeared to be a restaurant or even dojos, but none of which were of any importance. Sun kneeled down on the edge, scanning the everything below them for his target. After a moment, he smiled as his eyes fixated on a small gathering, poorly dressed and moderately armed, standing directly beneath them and beside a store.

"Alright guys, found some." Sun announced. "See those guys down there? They're going to try to rob the place. We're not gonna let them." he explained. The three nodded, and he smiled. "This is gonna be a blast, some good old fashioned butt kicking to get the blood flowing."

"I'm having second thoughts on this… would you mind if I stayed back and watched?" Pyrrha asked uneasy. Sun looked at the redhead, blinking twice silently before shrugging his shoulders.

"Sure, more fun for me then. Go ahead and join if you change your mind though. Madara, Penny? You guys still up for it?"

"Penny will, I will follow shortly." Madara decided, Penny nodding in agreement.

"Alright, let's get started." Sun announced, stepping off of the edge and using the slanted side as a slide. Penny followed close behind, performing the same action to slow their descent and be as stealthful as possible, leaving the two invincible fighters alone.

"Why did you choose to stay, Madara?" Pyrrha asked. "Forgive me if I am wrong, but you seem like you would be eager to fight."

"You are the 'Invincible Girl' yet you too chose to stay back and watch." Madara countered. "You should understand that the end goal of this expedition is to rid that store of those scum that would do harm to it. A heroic act, if you will."

"I… I believe that I would only be a burden. I am not in the best state right now." she explained. "There's just a lot of things on my mind."

"You worry about your team at Beacon, you do not think that they can fair without you." Madara declared, striking a nerve within Pyrrha. "You think they're too weak."

"That is not true at all!" Pyrrha exclaimed, switching on a dime from melancholic to furious. "They are my team and I know what each of them are capable of. I care very much for all of them, but I don't think Jaune is quite ready."

"Then you believe Jaune is too weak." Madara corrected himself, observing a small twitch in one of Pyrrha's emerald green eyes. "I have seen your beloved team leader and his attempts in combat. To be truthful, it is almost painful to watch. He lacks strength, speed, mobility, versatility, and most importantly judgement. He won't ever be a capable huntsmen, assuming he can even advance to year two."

"I am well aware of his… shortcomings, which is why I am training him to improve his weaker circles."

"I have observed his training. Frankly, your methods are ineffective. He has grown considerably, but it is still not enough. You spend too much time and put too little pressure on him. You act too much like his mother, instead of a team member. During grimm-extermination assignments, you would step in the moment he was at a disadvantage through various methods. It is because of your decisions that he is unable to even unlock his semblance." Madara explained coldly.

Her lack of confidence and coddling were detrimental to the both of them. Pyrrha was leading herself down a very similar road that Madara himself walked down. His potential death would have drastic results on her conscience. Despite the potential both of them possessed, she was too afraid of putting him in danger. She knew that eventually she couldn't protect him, but she wouldn't stop unless something revealed the truth. It would be better if she figured it out _before_ something were to happen to Jaune.

"What do you suppose I should do then?" Pyrrha asked pleadingly. "How do I keep him from harm? He's… something very special to me."

"You can't." Madara replied swiftly. "I know this for a fact. He _will_ be in dire situations that will put his very life at stake. The only thing to be done is for him to become stronger. Treat him as an equal, a rival, and he will likely become such." he explained, turning away from the spartan girl. " _It did for me._ " he thought as he leapt off the side following Sun and Penny.

"Perhaps Madara is right." Pyrrha wondered. "But will Jaune be able to withstand a harsher routine? No, I shouldn't ask things like that without even trying first. I need to have faith in him. Our leader can prevail." she told herself confidently. "Maybe I should clear my head… they are still at it." she decided, looking down at her friends tearing the congregation apart.

* * *

 **Haven Academy Principal's Office**

* * *

Alone in his sanctum as the sun descended, casting an orange hue across the sky, Professor Lionheart took his seat behind a large mahogany desk. The old man sighed heavily, relaxing his shoulders and leaning back in his cushioned chair in front of a large window.

"This is madness." he muttered to himself. " _They are only children, but they are forced to experience all of this, and there's nothing i can do._ "

"Indeed." An unfamiliar voice appeared within the room, prompting the headmaster to jump out of his seat.

"W-who are you?" he demanded, his lion tale shivering. "Show yourself!"

He heard a quiet scoff, before the unexpected happened. No door or window was broken down, nobody fell from the ceiling, and no hologram appeared. Suddenly, the space between the door and the desk exploded into a massive cloud of white smoke, followed by the sounds of heavy footsteps. A single silhouette emerged from the spoke approaching the faunus man, intimidating him even further. As the smoke cleared, the first thing he could see were crimson red eyes before the rest of their body, clad in short sleeved black clothing and maroon metal plates, became visible.

"And… you are?" Lionheart asked. For a brief moment, the long black hair and red eyes coupled with the clothing and armor invoked a similar image, but the person that stood in front of him was younger and a boy.

"A messenger." he replied. Though he was identical to Madara in nearly every way, the one thing that set them apart was composition. The Uchiha that faced the headmaster was merely a Kage Bunshin, not that Lionheart could have known, that is. "I expe-request your cooperation, Leonardo Lionheart."

"That depends." The man calmed his nerves, taking a more composed visage. "Who exactly are you a messenger for, and what would you do with my supposed cooperation?"

" _There is another person present… someone he may be trying to get information from me for._ " Madara deduced. "Before long this world will fall to ruin. Countless lives, innocent or not, will be taken without a shred mercy by beasts of destruction with power far beyond any grimm that has ever existed. Do as I say, or you and those that you care about will unquestionably die." He declared, but gained no visible reaction from the former huntsmen.

"That is… quite the threat." Lionheart remarked. This had to be a bluff. The boy in front of him couldn't have been serious. There was no bigger threat to humanity than the grimm. What creatures possibly could have bested them when even Humanity struggled to even survive.

"It is no threat, it is a promise." the clone corrected, before glancing to the side. Before even Lionheart could react, the doppelganger's arm rose and flung a small metal blade at something off to the side. It missed its target just barely, as the round ball-like body of a grimm came into view. It had the overall theme of a jellyfish, levitating a meter above the ground with several red tendrils cascaded down from its underside. It snarled, as two of its barbed tendrils shot forward, but Madara's clone caught them in one hand, pulling it towards him before kicking it away. The grimm collided with the wall before another kunai was thrown. This time, the blade made contact, and tore through the glasslike head of the monster. It died immediately, evaporating into smoke with one last growl.

" _A grimm unlike any I have seen, but a weak grimm nonetheless. It was juvenile, which means there must be a some kind of chain of command within their collective that restrained it_." Madara reasoned. If the jellyfish-like grimm was like any other, then it should have attacked both him and Lionheart. It was almost completely invisible within the darkness of the shadow it resided in. it wasn't attacking, it was observing.

"Y-you don't understand what you have just done!" he exclaimed. "I-I'm going to… she is going to kill me…" he began panicking, holding the sides of his head with both hands and mumbling incoherently.

"Then speak quickly and clearly, or I will kill you now." Madara commanded. "Will you or will you not lend your resources?"

"I-if I do," Lionheart began, his voice trembling. "Will you be able to guarantee my safety? I don't want to die."

"That is entirely up to you. Should you be useful, you need not worry for your life. However, this incident has only expanded the questions I have for you. I suggest that you prepare yourself for a very long conversation." Madara's clone warned, crossing his arms expectantly. " _His cowardice could be a problem… whoever controlled that creature must have also known this. It may be in my interest to implant a curse seal on him…_ " The Uchiha thought.

 **END**

 **One down, more or less, and two or three more to go!**

 **You know, I always wondered just what Roman stole all of that dust for. I think the original plan Monty had was to have Cinder just be a very talented fighter that used the stolen dust to fuel her powers, as Ozpin and Ironwood imply dust glew when used in clothing. Unfortunately, that was all retconned out by the idea of the maidens. Kinda sucked in my opinion. After all their work to differentiate dust, semblances, aura, and magic, magic suddenly exists. It's one of quite a few issues, But what're ya gonna do right?**

 **anyways, this chapter makes the story about 72k words. I think if it ever reaches 100k, I will implode and die :3**


	23. Chapter 23

**Rio Skyron- "Monty died and took rwby with him" but I can't even say that. Not because it's a horrible joke but Monty was the one who made the maiden retcon… in all honesty may Monty Oum rest in peace. He did a lot and I don't think his legacy will die any time soon.**

 **Blackdog420- I always thought that the way the forbidden curse tag worked was that instead of killing the host if they didn't do as told, the tag made the person physically incapable of not doing as instructed, kind of like kotoamatsukami in that sense.**

Chapter 23

* * *

 **Atlas Academy**

* * *

Surprise surprise, the theme of Atlas was as blank as the stainless walls. Nearly everything was almost completely white, reflective of the tundra that the kingdom was situated in. The students wore white and gray uniforms without a single alteration or decoration. The academy likely ruled out the opportunity for self expression, an echo of a very distant past. The strict regulations and almost oppressive control urged obedience and loyalty on its students. No wonder the graduates often enlisted in the military. Most students would be broken by the time they became huntsmen and huntresses.

On the other hand, it was quite effective. Should another wear break out, Atlas had the largest and most versatile military force. They had a massive avian fleet with every kind of ship, from dreadnoughts to scout ships. Their army mixed robotic drones and human soldiers to increase its numbers far above another other. Then, of course the most dangerous, the enlisted graduates that composed their "Special Operative Corp". Rumor of the week was that the Atlas R&D team were exploring protective electromagnetic field technology.

Unfortunately, all of it both man and machine alike, it could all be rendered pointless should even a single tailed beat go on the offensive. Tailed beast balls would devastate their fleets. Their vast navy could be wiped out by the three tails in less than an hour. All the more reason for Madara Uchiha to make his moves as fast and effective as possible.

" _General Ironwood, headmaster of Atlas…_ " the second clone of Madara thought. " _I must locate him quickly._ "

"You." he heard from behind him the voice of an older woman. As Madara turned to face his interruption, all he could think of was Weiss. She looked like an older version of the ice princess. In this case, she was the ice _queen_. The pressure she exuded was of a soldier, but also that of a professional huntress, more or less. "You are one of the visiting students, is that right?"

"Yes." Madara replied calmly.

"Where are you going, if I may ask?" She continued, holding her hands against her waist. "You are alone, which either means you have something to do alone, or you have someone you are meeting in private. In either case, I suggest coming with me."

" _I do not have time for this._ " He thought, before coming to a realization.

Initially he planned to use the Shunshin no Jutsu, leave the woman, and return to searching for General Ironwood. Unfortunately, if he decided to do so, there was a high chance that he would be interrupted in the near future and likely by that same woman. If something like that were to happen, he had a countermeasure, it would only take another few seconds and a moment of eye contact. He could simply use the same technique to evade or genjutsu to knock her out for long enough to let him escape. Although it was an unfavorable decision, as he didn't want to waste any more chakra than he needed to. The Kage Bunshins Madara created weren't meant for combat. He was already far from where he really should have been and couldn't spread his strength out too much, lest another tailed beast appear on his radar. At the most, each clone could activate their Susanoo at the lowest tier for three minutes. Not that he would have ever resorted to using such a technique. Each use by the clones would be as if they were a use by the original once they dispersed. To use such a limited resource so wastefully wasn't an option he could afford. On the other hand, there was an opportunity to benefit from this encounter. If he could figure out some way to convince her that he was trustworthy, he could have her take him directly to his target.

"Where, at this time, would I be able to find General Ironwood?" Madara asked, prompting the woman to sharpen her glare.

"What business do you have with him? Do you have a pre-scheduled appointment?" She demanded in a more serious tone.

"Does the name 'Ozpin' mean anything to you?" He countered.

"Professor Ozpin… but why would he…" The woman mumbled. "I cannot believe you with just a name, if you are here on behalf of another individual, then I suggest you prove yourself. Do you have some sort of authentication? If not, then I will have to escort you to the student office for questioning."

Madara sighed, reaching behind him and pulling out a small rectangular object. Once it was within the woman's view, her eyes jumped open with surprise. What she saw was a card of sorts. It was steel gray, with few markings other than an engraved symbol of Vale and a number four on it. To the average person, it was nothing more than some trading card. In truth, it was one of a very small amount of identification cards entrusted only to a select few. The woman had one of her own, but with the symbol of Atlas and a number two. They were proof of inclusion to the most clandestine and powerful group of individuals in the world of remnant.

The thing was, Madara wasn't apart of that group. The card he held in front of her was an illusion, a kunai disguised as as a card nearly identical to an actual card he had seen one time. To his knowledge, the highest number his kind of card counted up to was four. Luckily, she didn't seem to know that, as she didn't ask any questions or confront him about it.

"I see…" she said reluctantly. "Follow me please, I will bring you to the general." she explained, turning and walking away. "You should know not to show such a thing in public. We are _supposed_ to remain hidden." she whispered.

"You are Winter Schnee, correct?" Madara asked, ignoring her scolding.

"Y-yes, that is me. How did you know my name?" She asked suspiciously.

"Your sister." Madara replied simply, recalling the few times Weiss had mentioned her older sister. Come to think of it, she hadn't ever mentioned Winter's profession. The most she would talk about her was her incredible skill. With Weiss claiming to be the heiress to the company, it was safe to assume that her sister did not pursue a position at the top of their family business. The way she referred to the headmaster lent credence to the idea that she was one of the Atlas military's special operatives.

"I see, so you are well acquainted with her… how is she doing? I have yet to find the time to check on her myself." Winter asked, less sternly. "I hope she works well with her teammates and doesn't cause trouble for anyone. I wonder how she has grown. The upcoming festival would be a good opportunity… but I may be forced to be on duty…" she muttered to herself.

"Ask for time off." Madara said in a calm flat tone. "I have somewhere to be right now, if you would."

"Ah, yes, my apologies." She replied, resuming her job as a guide for the Uchiha.

* * *

 **Beacon Academy**

* * *

" _That wasn't too bad._ " Weiss thought to herself, closing her glyph and sheathing her blade. " _But it still takes too long to recreate the techniques. I need to find a faster way to form the image in my head than this… maybe if I were to give them names?_ " She wondered.

To Weiss, naming attacks or techniques always seemed childish and she had once told Ruby exactly that. The only time she'd seen people giving names to there attacks were in cartoons or comics. It never seemed to serve any purpose other than to allow kids to know what attacks did or were what. Now that she thought about it more, she realized a practical application of such an act. So far, she had used her memory alone to replicate what she had seen Madara do. If she were to, instead, connect those small memories to a single point of reference, then activation would only require a fraction of her usual time. At first she was delighted by her discovery, but that soon turned to despair as she could already imagine the remarks from Ruby and Yang over her hypocrisy. However, being proved right or wrong wasn't as important to her as improvement to her skills. The small win for the sisters was worth it.

"Excuse me." Weiss heard a feminine voice from behind her. As Weiss turned around, she was met by a girl wearing who wore no uniform, which probably meant she was from Vacuo. Her hair was marble white, slightly darker than Weiss', and her eyes were green like jades. "You are Weiss Schnee, or team RWBY, right?" she asked.

"Correct." Weiss replied. "What brings you here?" she asked.

"I was told to find members of team RWBY. I guess I'm under your care for now." she explained smiling. "I'm Luna."

"Hm, very well then. I suppose I could act as a supervisor." Weiss said to herself. "So, are there any questions you have that I can answer? At the moment, all I'm doing is practice." she explained.

"Actually, if you would be so kind, I would like to take this chance to have a match against you, in preparation for the upcoming festival." Luna requested, flaring her immense reserve of Aura momentarily as a show of strength.

"A fight?" Weiss asked, and Luna nodded. " _Hm, a field test would be beneficial to me as well. That'll be fine._ " the ice princess decided. "Alright, I accept your challenge." she declared, retrieving her silver rapier. "But I suggest that we pick a more suitable place. If

* * *

 **Staff Offices Hallway**

* * *

"Here you are." Winter said, looking at Madara while standing beside a large wooden door with the label "Headmaster" attached to it. Beside the door was a metal panel, and a flat black screen facing upwards. "Allow the scanner to read your card and you will be allowed in. you shouldn't have a problem with _that_ kind of ID."

"Understood." Madara replied, internally cursing the error he made. What was the machine supposed to read?

"Well then, I will be returning to my post." Winter said, nodding to herself and walking past the black haired boy.

"..." He had nothing to say or a comment to make. Holding the card above the scanner did nothing. Pressing it against the scanner did nothing. There was some code or key that the faux ID card was lacking. " _This is rather unfortunate._ " He lamented, turning his attention to the door. " _I suppose force would work, but I would have to work quickly or security would get in my way._ " He theorized, putting a single hand against the door. It would have been easy so rip the thing off of its hinges without a second thought, but the first impression would not be a good one.

"You, there." a voice spoke from behind Madara. There was nothing behind him, except for a ceiling-mounted intercom. "The door is unlocked, you may enter." And with that, the relay fell silent.

" _How generous._ " Madara scoffed, gripping the handle and pushing. The door gave way, allowing the Uchiha to enter the room. It was mostly gray and white. The floor was clean enough that Madara cast a visible reflection below him. The same went for every other object in the room. Ahead of him, sitting behind a wooden desk, was a man wearing a white suit and had short black hair. He stared at Madara, resting his chin on his crossed hands.

"Please, take a seat." The man offered, gesturing towards a chair on Madara's side. Madara did as he was advised to, sitting down directly in front of the general. "You don't need to worry about hiding anything. There are no recording devices and the walls are completely soundproof. I'll start us off. I don't believe I need an introduction. You, on the other hand, are something of interest. I have never met you before, and yet you managed to create a counterfeit of a card that not even an actual owner could distinguish. It must've been difficult to get that, and just so you could talk to me. So, I ask you, what do you want?"

How fortunate that this was the kind of person the headmaster of Atlas Academy and a key figure in their military was; straight to the point and with a no-nonsense attitude. He quickly analyzed the situation and decided that he wouldn't waste his time on interrogations. They both knew that this was either going to go smoothly, or there would be conflict.

"Your long range communications are impressive, the CCCT a testament to that fact." Madara began calmly. "Simply put, I want access to your technology. More specifically, anything capable of long-distance reconnaissance and for you to stay out of my way. That is all," he declared.

"You are looking for something that could be anywhere in the world, and this could be a threat to humanity, I presume." Ironwood said, getting no response. "Before you make such demands, I'd suggest doing some work on your negotiation skills. I don't see any reason to oblige."

"This isn't an effort to negotiate. You either assist me, or the four kingdoms will be destroyed." Madara declared. "Your armies mean nothing to my enemy."

"Then tell me, just what kind of enemy are you seeing that no one else is." He replied. "Asking for anything at this time is difficult. We have already spent a considerable amount of our resources with just containing and studying a newly discovered creature."

"Threat?" Madara asked, raising an eyebrow as he requested a repeat.

"Yes. from the sound of your reaction, you may know something about it." He said. "As you can imagine, I cannot give you all of the information. This is a national secret, and must be kept from public knowledge. If word got out about a secret government operation…"

"There would be panic and hysteria." Madara finished, and Ironwood nodded. "Then what happens here, stays here. I do not care for what your citizens know or don't know. What is important is accomplishing my goals and to do that, I need what you have, and to know what you have. What exactly is the creature you were able to contain?"

Ironwood sighed, hearing the sincerity within Madara's voice as he reached under his desk. He returned it to the top of the table, with a slip of paper in hand. He turned it over, revealing it to be a picture. Madara's coal black eyes dilated on the image in front of him. It was a top-down view, depicting a holding cell filled with guards. In the middle, was a massive creature with a dark shade of pink for its skin color. It appeared to be a cross between an octopus and an ox. It had eight tentacles for a lower half, a more humanoid torso and arms, and the head of a horned bison. Its entire body laid against the floor, with its closed eyes signifying a state of dormancy.

" _Eight tails… no mistake, that is the second strongest of the tailed beasts._ " Madara thought. "An inconceivable thought _to think it had been captured willingly, it must have been unconscious, otherwise this would be impossible. No matter, this will not take long._ " He smirked. "General Ironwood, where is the creature being detained?"

"What would you do if I told you? None of our equipment or weaponry have been able to make so much as a scratch in its hide." Ironwood explained. "I doubt a child would be capable of doing what we could not."

"I can render it harmless." Madara answered simply. "I am the only one in Remnant capable of subduing the beast, as I have done before. You were fortunate enough to not encounter it while it was active, or none of your retrieval team would have survived. "

"And, if you are telling the truth, I must ask. How would you go about neutralizing this creature." Ironwood asked. "With information, we may be able to recreate your methods and be better prepared for any similar threats in the future."

"impossible." Madara was quick to shoot down his idea. Nobody needed to be able to control the tailed beasts. That was a right only held by the legendary Uchiha. "None can do what I can. Now, my answer." he demanded, glaring at the headmaster.

"How do I know you will not attempt to take the entity for yourself, and use it against us? Simply put, I cannot trust you at the moment. If you have proof of why I should trust you, then by all means." He suggested, glaring at the younger boy.

"Very well then." Madara's eyes changed, morphing into their basic forms of Sharingan and spinning wildly. The general, looking directly into his eyes, instantly fell under Madara's genjutsu.

What he saw within the illusion scared him, a soldier, to his very core. He saw a massive humanoid titan with several swaying tails rampaging throughout the continent of Solitas, Atlas' homeland. The avian fleet that Atlas was so proud of was ripped apart by the monster's screams alone. Purple spheres erupted from several sections of its body, flying for several kilometers and creating explosions of unrivalled magnitude. Its tails wiped out any approaching tanks and soldiers. The earthquakes caused by its footsteps broke their defenses with ease. There was no hope in combatting this monstrosity, only destruction. It's single eye, red with ripple patterns, stared into his soul. It was death, pure and simple death. It was all too real. It felt much less of a hallucination than it did a prelude to the future. His image of the world was engulfed in flames when suddenly it all vanished. James Ironwood returned to sitting in his chair in front of Madara, whose eyes were pitch black as if all he saw was an illusion..

"What… what was that?" he asked, his composure long lost.

"The result of failure." Madara replied. "Give me what I need, nothing more, and you will be spared. I require no soldiers, no food or water, and no transport. I demand only your scanning capabilities. Your answer." he repeated, demanding a proper response.

"I… I see." He said, calming himself down quickly. "How long do we have before something like that occurs?"

"I am uncertain. However, if you are cooperative with me, it will never come to pass, and Atlas will be safe." Madara warned. There was no need to further detail his mission. Nobody needed to know that there were nine monstrosities in total. As long as he got what he needed, the world was safe and that was what was important.

"I understand. I will speak with the council on this matter. Understand that it won't be immediate. The soonest would likely be around the same time as the Vytal festival." Ironwood explained.

"Of course." The raven haired boy suddenly vanished, throwing loose papers into the air but otherwise leaving no trace of his presence.

General Ironwood sat back in his seat and took in a long breath. That boy, that student of Beacon Academy, was not of this world. If what he saw was more than just a trick, then no human or faunus had any hope of victory. Not even Ozpin, with his great stores of wisdom and experience, would be able to do anything about such a demon. In comparison, the grimm were a minor inconvenience. They, at least, had clear ways of being defeated. Working with the boy was their best chance. He knew what he was going to have to do: deploy a large amount of troops and vehicles around the world to constantly relay information and coordinate, risking the secrecy of their group. Ozpin was not going to be pleased, but it had to be done for the sake of humanity.

* * *

 **Beacon Academy**

* * *

For the past ten minutes, they had their duel as promised. Weiss used her usual combination of her rapier, dusts, and her standard glyphs, along with her newly dubbed "Element Glyphs". Overall, the field test was successful. Naming her techniques drastically reduced the activation time by half. As a result, the amount of aura that her glyphs costed also lowered to a much more manageable level. With more practice, she could probably use it to the same efficiency as her other glyphs.

As for her opponent, Luna wielded no clear weapon. She fought with her bare hands, but she had some sort of trump card that Weiss could not understand. She had chosen to not deploy a protective aura shield, despite Weiss' insistence. Even with the disadvantage, she never took a direct hit from Weiss' blade. Each time the tip of her rapier came close, the potential point of contact became coated in what looked like molten lava. It couldn't possibly be actual lava. Her clothing was have had lava dust embedded in it. It was an archaic art, but not unheard of in this day and age. More impressively was her application of aura. Instead of using it defensively, she used it to bolster her offensive capabilities. Each of her punches and kicks released small shockwaves which acted as a concussive force. Those same shockwaves could be used to redirect rapier thrusts away from her body, turning a light push into a heavy shove. In the end Luna was victorious by war of attrition, as Weiss' aura fell into the danger zone and they had to stop, lest they risk serious injuries.

"Just what kind of person taught you to fight like that?" Weiss asked as she sheathed her sword and sat on the side of a short grassy hill.

"Well." Luna grunted as she too sat herself down. "It's thanks to an old friend I guess. He was my Sensei, and taught me his fighting style. He called it the 'art of the human weapon' which I always said sounded dumb." she explained as she and Weiss both laughed.

"Some of the more talented individuals seem to double as the most childish." Weiss remarked, reminding herself of her fifteen year old team leader. "So did your 'Sensei' also sew dust into your clothes?"

"Clothes?" Luna muttered, quickly realizing what her teenage caretaker was talking about. "Oh! No, that's not his doing… I don't actually know how it works. One day, I just learned that I could create lava around my body, and without even using dust or aura. It's saved my butt more times than I can count honestly." she said, leaning back and looking up at the shattered moon. "I think what's more impressive is your new glyph. It's entirely new, no Schnee has ever been recorded doing something like that. What inspired you?"

"Well…" Weiss averted her eyes, "I guess you could say a friend did something similar, and I wanted to reach that same level. He can recreate the effects of dust without so much as powder or aura. I have to rely on what I have while he's pulling it from nowhere. It's like he uses magic or something. Even if I get better, I won't be able to reach that level he's on."

Luna stared at the girl in white for a moment, before chuckling to herself briefly. "I see… But you shouldn't sell yourself short. You may be different, but that's alright. 'You don't have to be the same as the person you admire, just be the very best you that you can be.' at least, that's what…" she paused, her smile flipping upside down. "That's what an old friend told me."

"...Luna?" Weiss called out. But before they could continue, Weiss heard the voice of her little red riding hood.

"Weiss~!" Ruby shouted as she ran towards her BFF, arms stretched out and ready to attack.

"Oh, hey Ruby-guh!" Weiss waved back, before being bear hugged and subsequently falling back onto the ground.

"Easy there, little sis. Don't want to kill your best buddy." Yang laughed as she and Blake walked alongside one another. "Hey, who's the new girl?" she asked.

"Ruby… get off me…" Weiss struggled to breathe, eventually being released from her death grip. She panted heavily, glaring daggers at Ruby who shrugged it off like it was nothing. "Everyone, this is Luna. She's one of the exchange students that we'll be taking care of." Weiss introduced. "Luna, this is the rest of team RWBY."

 **END**


	24. Chapter 24

**Gibthegrey- nah, no Harry Potter here. To be completely honest I don't know why I neglected to add her last name.**

 **Rio Skyron- My Luna is from an unfinished original story I wrote. Interestingly enough, Pum is also from that story and in that story, the two have some blood between them. I actually had different plans for her, but a spur of the moment decision changed my mind. Now she's as you see.**

 **Antex-The Legendary Zoroark- You've already been acquainted with them. Just gotta look a few chapters back.**

Chapter 24

"Are we really going to do this?" Roman asked the woman on the other end of his scroll, lighting the last cigarette he had. "Don't get me wrong, I'm all for it, but are you really sure this plan is actually going to work? We got a lot of unorganized people doing a lot of things at a lot of different places, which means there'll be a fast and big response. Worst case, Vale sics all of its huntsmen and huntresses on us. You sure those animals can handle their jobs? Also is the third part really that important?"

"The plan will work, and to maintain the White Fang's allegiance we require his presence. Have a little faith in us, Roman." The woman on the other end reassured the criminal. "As for you, I trust that the explosives you supplied us with will meet our specifications?"

"Yeah yeah. They're good to go. Just need to put them where you want and press the big red buttons on the remotes. They'll blow everything around them sky-high." He replied, moving the device from his face to see that the connection was just terminated. Tossing the cigarette bud away, Roman stepped closer to his new possession, glancing behind him to his partner in crime. "Neo, hope your excited. Today we make art and you get what you've been wanting for a long time."

The girl with pink and brown hair smiled gleefully, clapping as if to thank the man. She took out and looked back at her own scroll, smiling at the picture displayed: the picture of the first synthetic human ever created.

* * *

 **Courtyard**

* * *

"So you're gonna be hanging out with us, eh?" Yang inquired, smiling. "I'm curious, what's Shade like?"

"Shade Academy?" Luna asked, receiving a nod from the blonde. "It's bearable, more or less. Nearly all of my fellow students use the 'act now, think later' mentality. Though, I suppose that is a result of the environment we live in. It _is_ the unspoken rule of the land after all, 'if you want to belong, you need to be strong'. Pretty much everyone is a light sleeper, but they're also very strong. Almost a hundred different martial arts are open to first and second years, not to mention the classes on improvised and strategic warfare."

"So they taught you how to use your aura offensively?" Weiss asked.

In practically every school and celebration, fights in controlled environments ended when aura dropped below safe levels. If they didn't, then anyone could be at risk of severe injuries; broken bones or death at the worst cases. It was hard to believe that even Vacuo's academy would push their students to fight without any safety measures. Aura existed to protect the living, not leave them vulnerable.

"No, in fact, my Sensei doesn't teach at Shade Academy, or any school for that matter." Luna answered. "A lot of my classmates were shocked when I first demonstrated my fighting style, but they didn't care much for it. I only hope that I will be able to participate in the Vytal Festival." she frowned, pessimistic about her chances.

If the rules of the festival forced her to maintain an aura shield, her offensive parameters would decrease dramatically. Unknown to her, she wasn't the only one who did not aura defensively.

"If you don't use aura to protect yourself, how do you deal with injuries then? I doubt you've never gotten hit or cut or stabbed before" Yang asked, raising a curious eyebrow.

"At first, when my Sensei trained me, it was really dangerous. I had to be very careful and practice redirections and counters so that I could avoid being hurt. It was like that for about half of a year. After that, I suddenly found out that my body healed incredibly quickly. My body can repair itself to a far greater extent than Aura can." Luna explained. To lend a visual aid, the white haired girl gripped her other wrist and squeezed tightly. After two seconds, there was a pulse of aura and her hand fell limp. She had broken her own wrist, but didn't appear to be in any pain.

The girls gazed upon her now-unusable hand. Suddenly, the skin around her broken bones exuded a translucent orange liquid that moved and jumped like boiling water. It enveloped her wrist, bubbling violently. After only seconds of existing, the liquid evaporated much like the corpse of a grimm. Her wrist had been completely healed, proven by a few hand exercises. Needless to say, the spectators were in complete awe.

"No way!" Ruby exclaimed, remembering a similar event from many years ago. "I can heal my wounds quickly using my chakra" she remembered Madara say the first time they had ever met. " _So she can do that too? I thought chakra was just a different word for Aura that nobody used, but I never understood how his healed him so quickly. Now she has the same healing ability without using aura too._ " she realized, before quickly making a confused face. " _So is it not aura at all?_ "

"Do you think you could teach me that healing technique too?" Yang asked, already imagining the possibilities.

If she could rapidly heal instead of sacrificing her aura to defend herself, she could extend the limits of her semblance to be able to absorb and deal even stronger blows. Conversely, she could possibly utilize her aura as an offensive boost, multiplying her striking force significantly. She might even be able to defeat Madara with that power.

She, however, wasn't the only one interested.

" _Aura used directly as a weapon instead of a barrier? But if it can be used like that, maybe it can be applied to increase other parameters. I could use my Aura to make me faster or even to replicate that kind of healing. What if Aura can be molded into different shapes? It could make my sword even more dangerous._ " Blake theorized. " _On second thought, change the properties of Aura itself._ "

Unfortunately, both of their hopes were soon crippled.

"I'm sorry, but I don't think that would be possible." Luna replied. "I don't even know how it works. When I first discovered this healing power I asked my Sensei about it, but he never explained it. All he said was that it wasn't my semblance and it wasn't something I was born with. I believe he gave me this, but he also probably wanted to keep it a secret."

"Maybe you could ask him them to tell you about your healing now?" Ruby suggested. "You seem to have control now, so they might answer your questions."

"If only that were so easy. To be honest, I haven't seen or heard from my Sensei in over two and a half years." Luna explained, frowning as scratched her head. "We separated a little while after I discovered these abilities and Ju-"

She suddenly paused, once again looking like she remembered something she didn't want to. "I'm sorry, it's just been a long time, my memories are a bit fuzzy. That's enough about that though. There's no use in dwelling on the past." she said with a blank expression.

"Oh, I almost forgot, I think I should get going now. This is the last day of the program." She said, turning away to leave.

"Wait… if you'd like you could join us in going to the harbor." Ruby suggested. "Some of our friends are returning from the other schools, so we're going to meet them there. You could meet them just before you get on your ship to leave." she offered,

"Hmm… I think that'll be fine." Luna decided, her smile returning to her face. "I'd be happy to accompany you all."

"Then that settles it. Let's go girls." Yang commanded, gesturing for the four to follow behind her.

* * *

 **Passenger Transport Ship**

* * *

"Ladies and gentlemen, we will be landing in approximately five minutes. Please take your seats and prepare for departure." the intercom announced.

Ironically, many of the students of Beacon Academy ignored what they considered a suggestion.

The view of their school from above seemed to be just as breathtaking as it was when they first arrived. The students lined the side of the ship, staring down through the glass windows in awe. However the few that didn't remain standing included, to the shock and awe of nobody, Madara and Penny.

Pyrrha boarded the same ship as they did, but she chose to also watch their descent. Having nothing else to do, Penny had deactivated herself temporarily — in other words, sleeping.

Unfortunately for the girl, she was unsuccessful on their trip. Madara relied only on his hand to hand skills throughout the few battles he participated in. That was no less impressive but, with a few modifications, she could easily reproduce the same physical strength. She was already capable of bringing an armored truck from top speed to a dead stop in an instant with nothing more than her bare hands. She dreamt of a near future that her goals would be realized. His power would be understood and could be replicated. Humanity's war against the monstrous creatures of Grimm would finally end. Light would no longer be at war with the darkness.

Wait… when exactly did machines have the capability to have dreams?

Meanwhile, though nobody could hear it but Madara, there was a faint ticking sound as well as electronic beeping somewhere within the ship hidden by the chatter of the students. It was coming from multiple places within the vehicle, all of which were the guards. Said guards just so happened to all be faunus.

" _Something's wrong._ " He thought, activating his sharingan.

One of the guards interpreted his act as a sign of aggression, and frantically reached for something in his pocket. He ripped a rectangular device from his pocket, some sort of remote control.

Madara caught his arm before he could press anything on the box, tightening his grip and forcing the faunus to drop the electronic.

The guard attempted to draw his firearm, but was unsuccessful.

For good measure, Madara pinned the man to the ground, tearing off his chest plate with one hand to reveal an unusual contraption. Several vials of dust were positioned beside one another in an array.

He knew exactly what it was. The specific arrangement of fire, wind, earth, and lightning dust when triggered would create a massive explosive. In the past he had created one himself, but disposed of it for good reason. Judging from the size of the array, it yielded enough explosive strength to blow a whole clean through part of the ship they were on.

The students, hearing the struggle, turned their attention to Madara. Things seemed to be under control, but unfortunately, they were yet to be in the clear.

Penny reactivated and quickly assessed the situation, and found that the suicide bomber wasn't alone. "Madara, the other guards!" Penny announced, drawing a pair of black and green swords from seemingly nowhere.

"Now!" one of the other guards shouted. "For the White Fang and for our people!"

He, along with his fellow faunus brothers revealed their own detonators which meant that they too had rigged themselves.

The few would be huntsmen and huntresses that had their weapons on hand prepared for battle, but they couldn't outspeed their attackers. If the airship was too damaged to make it to the docking bay, the several dozen individuals inside would have to endure a two kilometer fall. That is, if their auras survived the multiple simultaneous explosions.

A barrier ninjutsu may have done the trick, but there wasn't enough time to set an effective one. There was one thing that Madara could do to ensure everyone's safety, but was also a technique that he was more reluctant on using than even his Susanoo.

However, he was out of options. Just as the men started the detonation sequence for their chest-mounted dust explosives, Madara formed a single hand sign.

" _What a pain… but it can't be helped._ " He thought, lamenting the action he was forced to take.

* * *

 **Beacon Transit Harbor**

* * *

From their position, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. All that the teachers and students at the harbor could see was that the last ship carrying the last batch of their classmates was returning to them. None of them were expecting for the large carrier to suddenly become covered in a massive cloud of fire and smoke.

The shockwave of the explosion reached them, hitting them like a gust of wind even from their considerable distance. They could only watch in horror as the smoke dispersed, leaving charred and burning metal fragments to fall one by one.

"My word!" Port exclaimed, "Someone get a search and rescue party down there right now!" He commanded, hastily walking off as he shouted at his scroll.

"N-no…" Jaune stuttered, his brain scrambled. "This can't be happening." He muttered under his breath.

Suddenly, upon screaming out, Ruby fell to the ground covering her eyes as she writhed in pain. If felt as if her very eyes were on fire, and she was unable to do a thing about it. They burned fiercely and uncontrollably, resulting in an unrivalled pain. Yang stopped her from hitting the ground and held her tightly, trying to ease the pain, but to no avail. Abruptly, Ruby's thrashing motions and short breaths stopped. She fell unconscious, but was still breathing luckily.

Nothing was over quite yet.

Several explosions shook the ground they stood on. Most of them turned around to see that the source of the explosions was within the boundaries of their own academy. Several facilities and housing areas were destroyed. The cause of the airship's destruction was happening at their school as well.

In the restless and frantic commotion, Dr. Oobleck stepped up.

"Students, I ask that you all remain calm and stay where you are while I call for emergency personnel." Oobleck announced in an attempt to maintain control.

"But what about the people on that ship?" Weiss asked.

"We should be looking for survivors." Ren followed.

Oobleck readjusted his glasses, sighing heavily. "Do not worry students, a team is already being dispatched to ascertain their situation as we speak." He explained as enthusiastic as always. "In the meantime, we must focus on those we can keep safe. Remain here until further notice." he instructed, taking out his scroll.

"Ruby, come on, wake up." Yang said, trying to coax the fifteen year old back to consciousness.

" _None of this was accidental_." Blake deduced. " _Someone caused all of this to happen. Could it be the White Fang? The high leader wouldn't do something like this, and Adam was arrested… no!_ "

She quickly realized the only possible origin of this tragedy. If it really was the White Fang that was responsible for these acts, then the only person she could think of to be the perpetrator was Roman Torchwick. He had interacted with them before, and if he used the right words then he could have persuaded them.

That notion only angered her more, but it was within the realm of possibilities. The question was, why? It didn't line up with his patterns.

Despite the huntsman's orders to remain on standby, Luna had chosen to ignore them and leave the group.

"I can suspend my disbelief to the notion that Ozpin is nowhere to be found, but what do you mean you are preoccupied with unknown assailants? How in the world is that even possible?!" Oobleck shouted at his scroll. "Do you not understand the gravity of this situation? The lives of many innocent individuals are in danger. You should be focusing on securing their safety instead of fight-" he stopped, hanging up on as he noticed the white haired girl enter his field of vision. "Young lady, where exactly do you think you are going?" Oobleck asked, moving his scroll away from his mouth.

"I'm going in to help as many people as I can." Luna replied, not turning around to face the doctor. "I don't know what is going on or why, but I don't really care. It's the job of huntsmen and huntresses to protect the lives of innocent. I'm sure you'd do the same if your students weren't here."

Without another word the girl took off at full speed towards the school, a translucent bubbling red cloak emerging around her body. " _As long as I have this power, there's not much I can't do._ " she grinned to herself.

Oobleck hummed to himself, resting his chin on his hand as he contemplated something.

"Students, I have made a change in my previous decision. after a revaluation, I believe that it would actually be detrimental to keep you all out of the fields you all will eventually be working in. I personally authorize this as a rescue operation. If you are physically capable, then choose now whether or not you will participate." He announced, surprising the teenagers around him.

The majority of able-bodied students had decided that they wanted to use this opportunity. Blake and Weiss volunteered for reasons other than rescue. They wanted and needed to know who or what was causing all of this to happen. Jaune had also agreed to participate in their mission on behalf of Ren and Nora, though his mental and emotional stability was questionable.

However, there was a portion that opted out.

Ruby, of course, was in no condition to do anything. Yang chose to stay alongside her sister until she recovered, but because she had no solutions, all she could do was wait and hope.

* * *

 **Mindscape**

* * *

Never a dull moment in the life of Ruby Rose. There was always something happening — something to keep things lively.

Just a moment ago, she watched a transport ship carrying dozens of her classmates get engulfed in a mysterious explosion. With her mind in tatters, she was struck by an indescribable pain in her eyes as if they were being stabbed and burned. Ironically, "lively" hardly described where she found herself when the pain all but vanished.

"Ooh~..." she groaned, slowly opening her eyes again as she no longer felt the awful sensation. As she did, she noticed nothing at all. Everything around her was pitch black without a hint of color, including her very own hands. There weren't any voices or things happening around her. There was no smell of fresh air or smoke and fire. It felt as if she was floating, yet not falling. There was simply nothing at all; a void.

" _What is going on? Where am I?_ " She thought, unable to move her own arms or legs. She could move her head, but there was nothing to turn her head to.

As she drifted in the emptiness for what felt like minutes, something dared to intrude like she had but had also dared to oppose the darkness.

A dim white light shone down on her, daring to bring color to the infinite void. Ruby looked up towards the source of the light, and saw the moon. This moon was nothing like hers, however. It was a solid circle instead of a shattered crescent. It was much smaller or much farther from where she was.

Before she could continue to think about the state of the moon, she noticed that the light it emitted also revealed the landscape around her. She was not alone in the region as far ahead of her were two impossible titans.

The first was a massive humanoid statue, several dozens of times larger than a fully grown Goliath grimm. It was completely composed of wood, with hundreds if not thousands of large wooden hands surrounding the statue. Directly across from it was anything but human. The fox-shaped monster had nine long tails, but its entire body was concealed under dense blue armor. Two large blue arms protruded from its back, holding a massive sword in each hand.

The nine-tailed monster roared at the wooden figure, launching a volley of light blue projectiles. In return, the enormous hands surrounding the golem extended outwards with great speed, all targeting the armored quadruped. The projectiles met hands, exploding on contact with great force.

Ruby raised her arms up and braced herself, but found that she was just out of the effective range of their battle. It was like she was watching a movie in a virtual reality field. If only that were the case. It all felt too real, and considering there was no record of this in the past, it must have been a vision of what was to come. Question was: when would these two gods clash?

Once the dust and debris had finally cleared, Ruby's jaw dropped upon viewing the aftermath.

The place that the two creatures stood was completely destroyed. The sheer amount of destruction rivalled and surpassed that of even the greatest natural disasters. The surface of the planet was permanently scarred, a memory to be kept forever.

The two culprits remained, but in reduced capacities. The original statue had lost all of its thousand wooden hands, and took to its own feet to continue the battle. The glowing blue armor of the nine tailed creature was gone, revealing dark orange fur and black markings around its face. Aside from the abnormal amount of tails, it appeared to be a gargantuan version of a red fox. However, it was the fox's eyes that caught her attention the most. They were red with black pupils, surrounded by three comma marks. They were the same as Madara's, yet after the wooden statue managed to connect its hand to the fox's head, the eyes transformed into mere vertical slits without any comma marks.

" _Why did that fox thing have the same eyes as Madara? Better yet, just how many giant monsters does he even know? Can that one talk too?_ " She wondered, smiling as she imagined the Uchiha surrounded by an army of gigantic animals. For some reason, it just didn't sit right in her mind.

Before their battle could continue any further, everything around Ruby suddenly flashed bright light blinding her like a flashbang. It caught her off guard, but she managed to regain her vision.

The setting had changed significantly. She was no longer in the decimated barren landscape with the armored fox monster and animate wooden statue. Instead, the destroyed landscape was replaced by a red mountainous area with a bright green sky. The two new individuals that populated this world were smaller than the titans by far, and were much more similar to one another.

She saw a man with long white hair, pale skin, and a familiar set of ornate white clothes holding a black staff and a familiar straight sword. She saw a pale woman with freakishly large white dress with even longer white hair.

The man suddenly multiplied, creating five copies who each unleashed an enormous attack. The woman responded with a single punch that negated the duplicates' efforts. Using the ensuing smoke as a cover, the man in white rushed the woman, impaling her on his sword and throwing her to the ground below. Once on the ground, the appeared to be talking, but only for a brief few seconds.

The last laugh would seem to be the woman's, as she pushed the man into what could only be described as a black portal.

Once again, the visions she was seeing crumbled and faded away into nothingness. Ruby was left in the black void she began this entire experience in.

However, there was one new addition. Floating by Ruby's feet was something of actual substance. It was a dimly glowing white sphere that hummed lightly.

Ruby picked up the sphere, noticing its reflective properties. It acted as a small distorted mirror, but a mirror that revealed something new. Her silver eyes, called special by her late mother, were noticeably different from before. It didn't take a very long inspection for Ruby to discover that her eyes were now hetero-chromatic. The dull and gray silver, that stained one of her eyes, was replaced by a brighter and purer platinum. Her sclera was darker than before with a circular pattern of six comma marks surrounding her irises. In her other eye, the gray had vanished altogether. It looked as if every part of her eye had merged into one. It was entirely purple with dark circles arranged in a ripple-like pattern.

"Huh?" Ruby grunted aloud. "What the heck is this?!"

 **END**


	25. Chapter 25

**ROS3 & Janed12000 & Leaning Leon- Good thing it's not a sharingan then. **

**Janed12000- I believe CaptainSteelestag's can answer your question. "...like a neutron star would local gravity. The 'dip' created by the 'weight' of their form is warping and pulling the surrounding area, exerting influence just by existing…"**

 **ChunkyFunkyMunky- well, hopefully mine don't disappoint.**

 **Robtron5000- Sorry for the shortness, not that great a writer. Y'know, I think they'd actually be slightly longer if I didn't procrastinate until one day before I release them, but have 2000 or so words left to write. That's happened a few times. But as for your question, who's to say someone in the eight-nine years hasn't already? I mean I am, but y'know.**

Chapter 25

* * *

 **Mindscape**

* * *

"What the heck is this?!" Ruby exclaimed, her mouth agape. " _I don't want this. I liked my eyes the way they were… although I like the brighter silver. This purple though,_ " she thought, turning her face to see her lavender orb.

Ruby recalled the second vision she saw just moments ago. During the very end of the battle, she caught a glimpse of the man's eyes. They were purple, just like hers. Those elemental attacks that the man in white used were also extremely similar to what her own step brother had often done, size being the only difference. The similarities didn't stop there. The white robe with black markings that he wore was the exact same as what Madara wore during their first meeting. It was dark out and she was half asleep, but she remembered the appearance and had seen it other times. At some point in the past she even attempted to wear it, but was unsuccessful.

"Was that… Madara? Is that where he came from? I mean he _did_ fall from the sky…" Ruby said aloud, quickly shaking her head of the notion. "no that can't be it. He's too young to be this guy. His eyes aren't purple either, They're black and sometimes red because of that chakra stuff. Then, what is going on with my eyes, why are they weird like this? I don't have chakra, like Luna and Madara, I just have aura. Actually, what was that first fight I saw with that huge fox and the brown guy? Looked like something out of a giant monster movie like with that gigantic fire breathing creep or the huge turtle thing… well, I guess there's no use in sitting around asking myself," She shrugged, unsure of what to do anymore. "How do I get out of here?"

Regardless of the visions she had witnessed and the alterations to her eyes, she was still trapped in the empty void. No matter where she walked there was nothing in sight. Even worse, she couldn't tell how much time had passed since she initially blacked out. It could've been five minutes or five days. She needed to find a way to wake up, but how?

As fate would have it, luck seemed to be on the girl's side. She wasn't dead, simply unconscious. She had to wake up sooner or later, and in her case, it was the former. After another brief few second, something seemed to be materializing far ahead of her. it wasn't quite clear, what it was, at first. However, it quickly took form and appeared to be the person she once called "mom". Summer rose, the white-cloaked huntress stood a long distance ahead of her.

"M-mom!" Ruby exclaimed, lost for words. As the woman turned to walk away Ruby sprinted for her, reaching out as if to grab what wasn't even real.

* * *

 **Beacon Transport Harbor**

* * *

It had been around fifteen minutes since the assaults began. Several groups under the banner of the White Fang were simultaneously attacking numerous locations. Beacon Academy, large dust warehouses, the commercial district, and several prisons of varying sizes were all victims to the terrorist organization. Subsequently, in the ensuing chaos, Grimm activity rose exponentially around the borders as the commotion grew.

Yang remained at the harbor, where a safe-zone had been established, holding her unconcious sister in her arms and waiting. Despite what was happening in front of her, and her inability to help Ruby's condition, she couldn't bring herself to leave. It was better to stay by her sister's side in case something else were to happen. As the blonde sat with Ruby's head in her lap, watching her school slowly crumble, she felt something grip her arm. She lowered her head to see that Ruby's hand was holding forearm, yet her eyes were still closed.

"Ruby?!" Yang exclaimed, her eyes widening and darkened slightly in color.

"Uggh…" She groaned loudly, sluggish pulling her arm back from her older sister's. "My whole body hurts, my head's on fire and I taste blood. Am I dead yet?"

Yang chuckled, embracing Ruby tightly despite the resulting pain. She was going to live. As the two rose from the ground, Ruby opened her eyes, causing Yang to recoil backwards almost losing her balance entirely. Unlike Yang, whose eyes changed colors based on her emotions, Ruby's eyes were always silver. All of the sudden one of them is slightly brighter, like platinum or pale gold, and the other is lavender with a rippling pattern.

"Are… you alright Ruby? What happened while you were out?" Yang asked, inching closer as she squinted her eyes.

"What?" Ruby asked confusedly. "My eyes? What are you talking abou-" Before finishing her sentence, Ruby started fumbling around for her scroll, activating the backwards camera. Once she discovered that her eyes were just as she saw them in what she thought was nothing more than a lucid hallucination, she too recoiled in shock. "This is real?!" she shouted to herself.

" _One weird thing after another._ " Yang thought, inadvertently jinxing herself. "But are you feeling alright?"

"I… I think so." Ruby replied uncertain, holding her head in one hand. "My headaches pretty much gone now. I don't know about my eyes, but if this is all real… then the people on the ship…" she frowned, lowering her gaze.

"Don't worry about them, Ruby. I'm sure that Madara figured something out. He probably got everyone off the ship before it blew up." Yang suggested smiling.

"Yeah, it does make a little sense… He always is up to something he never talks about. Maybe he really _did_ have a plan for this." Ruby replied, slowly restoring her composure. "What do we do now?" she asked.

"Beacon is under attack." Yang pointed to the academy, ablaze and crumbling bit by bit. "Professor Oobleck, Peach and Port are leading are leading a bunch of our classmates in a rescue mission to find and help anyone trapped inside. " she explained.

"What?!" Ruby exclaimed suddenly. "W-Then what are we standing around here for? We gotta get in there!" in an instant she was already gone, taking off at top speed towards the entrance in a red blur.

" _Well, at least she's back up and moving._ " Yang thought with bittersweet feelings before following behind her team revitalized leader.

In truth, she wasn't even confident in what she said to her sister. Maybe Madara or Pyrrha could have somehow survived, but any of the other mediocre students? Madara was an extremely capable person who was capable of a lot of things, but he was never the type to help just anyone. On top of that, if he did end up doing something, wouldn't he have notified someone? Anyone? The most logical answer was that the ship had no passengers, but then why did it explode? A better question would be: if the ship was occupied and he did survive, then where did everyone go?

* * *

 **Beacon Academy**

* * *

Great flames raged within the academy, eating away at every flammable substance there was to be found. Smoke filled the upper half of the room, partially escaping through the holes in the roof. Unfortunately, the smoke and fire weren't the only dangers the students faced. The students unlucky enough to be trapped within had the human element to deal with. More accurately, the _faunus_ element.

"Die!" a grunt of the White Fang shouted, swinging their sword down upon an injured student. However, Nora's hammer was much faster and stronger. With a single hard swing, the attacker was thrown aside and through the wall, leaving behind a large hole about six meters off of the ground.

"Wow, he went flying!" Nora exclaimed, holding the head of her hammer on the ground and squinting her eyes at the newly made opening.

"Nora, please focus." Ren deadpanned at his partner, sighing to himself as she giggled at him.

"Ms. Valkyrie, there is no time for dawdling. We are extremely limited with our mobility and window of opportunity as the situation grows worse with every passing second. Quickly, take them outside to the paramedics. Once you have escaped do not attempt to re-enter the school. Mr. Arc, please accompany me as we venture further in our quest." Oobleck commanded sternly as he destroyed a barrier of broken wooden beam. The three members of team JNPR nodded silently. Nora lifted the injured off of the ground and carried them alone. Ren accompanied her as instructed, acting as both a guide and protection. They disappeared out of view, leaving Oobleck and Jaune.

"Come quickly, we must hurry." the professor said, not waiting for Jaune to enter the proceed onwards.

" _This is utterly preposterous._ " Oobleck thought to himself as he ran through the corridor, quick-searching room by room for any trapped students. " _The White Fang has been increasingly violent over the past several years, but something like this, suicide bombing, is far above anything they've done in the past. The Prisons contain a significant number of arrested members, including high ranking Adam Taurus, but the other locations do not correspond with any known patterns. Dust robberies are unlike them, and so are direct attacks on civilians. Something else must be at play_."

Suddenly there were several gunshots and screaming. It wasn't the voice of any student or teacher he knew of. More distressing was the concurrent animalistic roaring. Some kind of beast was attacking someone. Eventually, he had arrived on the scene to see a White Fang grunt dead on the floor. There were thin yet deep cut on the front of their chestplate.

"My word…" He said to himself as Jaune finally managed to catch up.

"Who did that?" Jaune asked worriedly.

"Not who, but _what_. These are too rigid to be the effects of a huntsmen's weapon. These are the signs of a Grimm attack. Which begs the question..."

"How did a Grimm get in Beacon Academy?" Jaune finished, scanning the hallway slowly from side to side.

"It seems that there is a third party at play, Mr. Arc, a party that orchestrated all of this to happen. We shouldn't stay here and waste our time." He suggested, taking out his scroll and opening a new message. "Forget what I had just said, we are leaving now."

"What? But what about the others? We have to help them and we need to find whoever caused all of this!" Jaune shouted in protest, clenching his fists .

"Young man, I'd urge you to calm down and think clearly." Oobleck was quick to retort, turning his stare to the blonde. "Believe me when I say that I do not wish to leave behind those that can be saved. However, this sector of school has unfortunately reached its limit. It will collapse at any moment, there is nothing more that we can do."

Jaune couldn't accept it, but he couldn't oppose the decision. There was no way he was going to find, let alone stand a fair chance against, whoever was responsible. Luckily, their time wasn't up just yet. Before the two could begin finding their way out, there was a scream from close by. This time, however, there was no animal screeches or roars. They glanced at one another before nodding. They could probably afford a few seconds to help when someone was so close. They ran towards the direction they heard the scream, using gunshots to guide them. Eventually they had arrived at the Multipurpose room to see a group of three students engaged in battle against a large congregation of ancient Beowolves, Creeps, and Ursa. More eye catching though, was a petite human girl standing on the side of the Grimm. She had white hair and was dressed in mostly black. She wore no emblems or symbols that would correspond to any organization.

Though neither of the two men had said or done anything, she somehow noticed their presence. She turned to look at them, revealing silver eyes. "Kill them." she muttered, glancing back between the Grimm and the two. Half of the Grimm split off from the herd, changing targets and charging at Oobleck and Jaune.

"Mr. Arc, listen very closely to what I say next as I will only say it once. I will focus on the Grimm. When there is a clear window of opportunity, slip past these creatures and target their leader." Oobleck instructed, firing shots at the frontmost creatures. Jaune nodded, tightening his hold on his sword and shield as he stayed back and waited for an opening.

The decades-old Grimm were less than five meters from Oobleck, who gripped of his weapon with both hands and prepared to swing hard. If he timed it right, he could hit them just before they could strike and stagger them. If Jaune was going to target their leader, he needed as large an opening as he could possibly get. Luckily, Oobleck was just as good with history as he was a fighter. His timing was perfect, just as the front two ursa wound up their arms, he swung hard and fast. The entire crowd was engulfed in flames, flames strong enough to melt stone. The fires clung to their black skin and white armor, both damaging and weakening their bodies. The blonde teen took his chance and sprinted. He curved around the flaming mass, focusing on the girl and only her. She blinked, before reciprocating and taking off in a sprint towards him.

Jaune was caught off guard, causing him to hesitate. He lifted his shield up just below his chin as he held his sword back. He slowed his pace, watching his opponents moves carefully, just as he was taught by Pyrrha. She stopped in front of him, dropping down behind his shield. Instinctively, he jumped back to see that she attempted to sweep his legs. He thrusted down at her, but she managed to deflect the attack. She pressed the side of the blade, causing some kind of invisible explosion that knocked the weapon away. Were it not for the tight grip and the fact that he was already unnerved, he would have lost hold of his weapon. Jaune rolled to the side, opening and raising his shield to block a kick. Her foot created the same explosion that her hand did, but he withstood.

" _She can use any part of her body to do that, I only have this sword…_ " he lamented, thrusting his sword again and hitting air. " _If she's anything like Ren then I absolutely have to keep her on the defensive. I need to conserve energy though. I need to figure out their weaknesses quick._ "

Jaune charged again, collapsing his shield and going entirely for offense. If she was able to use any part of herself to create those explosions, he needed to maximize his field of view and his mobility. His naturally large pool of aura would compensate. He swung sideways at her, planning to curve down and catch her as she ducked. Instead she jumped over and spun, delivering a roundhouse kick. Jaune stepped back, just barely evading and slashing at her again. This time, it made contact with her raised arm, but something unexpected happened yet again. Normally aura would have absorbed the shock and bounced his sword back, but instead the blade embedded in her arm. Her eye twitched, yet she didn't flinch or scream, as if she acknowledged that it happened but didn't feel the pain.

"Huh?!" Jaune grunted, thinking he had just inflicted serious damage to another person. However, the silver eyed girl used this moment to her advantage.

"Mr. Arc, get ahold of yourself!" Oobleck shouted, unable to do anything to help.

"Time's up. Haven't found Luna or those bastards." She whispered sighing as she relaxed her shoulders.

The girl pulled the blade out of her arm, kicking him away and onto the floor. She frowned disappointingly, yet somehow dejected. The Grimm that attacked the students and Oobleck ceased their attacks, in yet another uncharacteristic manner, they trudged towards the girl, growling as they started to dissipate. Instead of evaporating into the air, they melted into the ground and formed a large black pool beneath her feet. Before Jaune's very eyes, she began to sink into the pool,

"Stop right there!" Oobleck demanded, threatening to fire upon the Grimms' master. She ignored him as if he wasn't even there, continuing her impossible descent. He fired a shot, but the flame was snuffed out immediately.

"Who are you? Did you do this?" Jaune asked, keeping his sword raised. Silently, the girl turned her head slightly to Jaune, nodding lightly.

The revelation that the killer of his partner was just in front of him was the last straw. Jaune let out a pained scream as he gripped the handle of his sword with both hands and swung down at her as hard as he possibly could. Everyone, including the blonde himself, the resident huntsman, and the three relieved students, were shocked by what the girl did in response. As the executioner's blade came down swiftly, it was caught once more. This time, not by the forearm, but in the girl's glove-covered hand. She grasped the middle of the stainless blade, wrapping her fingers around it and tensed her arm. There was a sudden burst of force, originating from her hand, that pushed everyone around her back. The body of the sword was crushed with extreme and sudden force, causing the top of the sword to fly straight off of its steel body. This priceless family heirloom that had seen the days of the great war, was shattered so easily.

Before any of them had a chance to do anything more, the girl was fully submerged and no longer visible from above. The puddle started evaporating until there was nothing left, more importantly, they were still in a collapsing building. Instead of fighting or contemplating what was going on, they needed to escape. Jaune attempted to recover the broken fragments of his sword, but was forced to retreat before he could grab anything.

* * *

 **Elsewhere**

* * *

"What do you think you were doing? I remember specifically telling you to extract as soon as you completed your mission." A voice echoed, in a displeased tone. Through an unmarked scroll.

"I also remember my side of our agreement. You're helping me, and I'm helping you." The silver eyed girl spat angrily as she strolled down an unharmed school hallway. "You don't control me, Cinder. I do only what I have to, no matter what the cost. That's why I've even agreed to work with you, because _she_ promised that I would find them if I did. If not for your master I would have killed you when we first met and don't forget that. I'm remaining until I've confirmed whether or not they are present. I'll search around for the Uchiha boy you're so interested in and we'll call it even. One last thing, don't you dare think you can ignore or break the last part of our agreement. You don't so much as put a single finger on either of them, or I'll kill you myself and all of that power you're so proud of will be nothing." With her final words, she hung up, pocketing her scroll and closing her eyes. " _I hate you. You murdered my family, hidden Luna from me, and now others have to suffer for your decisions._ "

 **END**

 **Alright so bit of an announcement. it's been kind of a hectic week or two. this chapter was pretty rushed and obviously late. won't be putting out another chapter this coming weekend, but will the next. Worst case scenario, I'll retcon or redo this chapter. sorry to everyone. if you have questions on the story though, I'll upload an answer chapter.**


	26. Chapter 26: End of Part 2

**Boblets- well, guess I need to reach back into the drawer and pull out Wicasta Lovelace again. Ahem, "A good man will never have enemies who are anything but petty and childish."**

 **SomePerveGuy- I do not know of any other "good" Madara fanfics, sorry. As for your question about the eye. Ruby's eye is not anything from the narutoverse. It's something I've decided to create for my story as something unique.**

Chapter 26

* * *

 **Beacon Academy**

* * *

"Weiss!" Luna turned and shouted, prompting the girl in white to manifest a massive tree of ice, supporting the roof and preventing collapse.

"That should do it." Weiss said to herself, affirming the integrity of the light blue structure. "Let's hurry up and get everyone out of here. I don't want to be here any longer than we need to-"

As she finished her sentence, there was a gust of wind that blew in their direction, extinguishing some of the small fires around them with a red overlay. Team RWBY's leader had made it onto the scene, along with Yang.

"Ruby?" Weiss stared blankly, startled. "I mean, good you're back up-what happened to your eyes?"

"No time to explain. What's the situation right now?" She demanded, uncharacteristically professional.

"W-well, we're still clearing out this area. We only have a few more to go but the Grimm are growing in number. Luna and I can handle ourselves just fine but these people can't get to their weapons. It could be trouble if they get caught. We need someone to escort them to safety." She explained, gesturing to a small group of unarmed and slightly injured students.

"Leave it to me!" Yang exclaimed before she approached the cluster and started their departure, breaking down one of the walls to create a quick opening.

"Meet up with Blake. She acted as convoy for a cluster earlier and should be at the safezone." Weiss commanded and Ruby nodded.

Ruby blinked twice before noticing that Weiss was covered in a thin white outline. Ethereal and unlike anything she had seen Weiss wear before. It was her aura, but Ruby couldn't recall a time where it was so visible. Normally, aura could only be seen when damaged and flickering from instability. In retrospect, her sister also had the outline, though she hadn't noticed it. Was it because of the new coloration of her eyes? Before thinking about it any more, she looked towards the other white haired girl.

What she saw in Luna was vastly different from what she saw in Weiss or Yang. Within her was a massive network of countless transparent orange tubes. They entangled into one another, extending and creating what looked like a nervous system. A large sphere laid in her lower abdomen, bubbling and fluctuating as if it was about to explode at any moment. However, preventing such an eruption was a bright white outline. Her Aura was stored within her instead of without, just as she mentioned earlier.

However, the orange sphere began to tremble and boil violently, as if agitated by her laying eyes upon it. The casing broke apart as if it was nothing. The translucent tubes were filled with a much thicker orange fluid.

Suddenly, Luna fell to her knees, squeezing her stomach and face with both arms and hands, as if she was being torn apart from the inside. The bubbling red cloak resurfaced and shrouded her. Four appendages made out of the cloak's substance extended out from behind like tails. The aura she had kept sealed within her body exploded, alerting and startling everyone around her.

Ruby was first to move, hoping to help the kneeling girl, but an overwhelming sense of fear prevented her from taking any more than two steps closer.

"Nhg! g-g-I what is?!" Luna barely managed to speak. She was experiencing pain she never had before. The circumstances didn't make sense. She wasn't injured, and she hadn't afflicted with sickness in years. She had been near both Ruby and Weiss before and this hadn't happened. The only change was the color of Ruby's eyes. As soon as the two girls made eye contact, something deep within Luna's subconscious started to roar, causing the immense pain to emerge. A low pitched yet loud roar echoed within her head, urging to her either escape or kill the source of her pain.

The cloak thickened as the seconds passed,

Her aura exploded again, allowing the shroud to thicken and irradiate a more intense level of intimidation unlike anything either Ruby or Weiss had seen or felt before. The close proximity began to weigh more physically on the two than just mentally. She emanated heat that slowly intensified and burned even through their aura shields. She let out a monstrous roar, the skin of her hands and feet dissolving and becoming replaced by a black and red fluid that flowed like rushing water.

" _What are you doing?! We must Kill Madara before that bastard can capture us again! You will die!_ "

Barely coherent screams from an unknown entity had filled her head, peeling away her ability to think as more and more of her body was covered in a deeper red

" _That… is that chakra too?"_ Ruby asked, intimidated and astonished by the creature in front of her

"Ruby… we need to get out of here now." Weiss whispered, her body still frozen stiff.

"But Weiss, she's in trouble, we have to help her!" Ruby pleaded, trying to pull herself away from Weiss, but her grasp remained firm. Despite her shared sentiments, the situation was not in their favor. The heat Luna was generating was melting the pillar of ice at an increasing rate. It wasn't going to last any longer than a few minutes. On top of that, what _could_ they have done? Whatever was happening was far above their pay grade. This was a job for a team of professional huntsmen, not students. As much pride as she had in her own talents, going up against something like this simply wasn't something she was prepared for.

However, whether they were ready or not wasn't a choice for the girls. Luna's entire body was coated in the coursing scarlet mass. Her face too was covered. Her eyes were replaced by two large glowing white spheres, piercing into their very souls. Her mouth was much of the same color, with jagged glowing teeth. Compared to her, the plethora of grimm that the Huntresses in training had fought before were nothing.

Without warning, a large arm-like appendage shot out of its side towards the girls. Their instincts finally kicking in, they did their best to evade. Using both of their semblances in tandem, Ruby and Weiss avoided the attack, moving to the other side of the room. Weiss pierced the ground with her rapier and encased the beast in several layers of ice. She had no idea how long it would be trapped, but some time was better than nothing.

"Luna… what happened to her?" Ruby asked. A terrified and worried look spread across her face while she kept her scythe's high caliber barrel at the ready.

"I don't know. I've never seen something like this before. It's like she being possessed by some kind of geist but it can control living things." Weiss theorized, "But even then, it doesn't look anything like a grimm…!"

Weiss was stunned to see that the creature controlling Luna had roared loudly, shattering her defenses with its voice alone. The creature then lunged at the two girls, its tails extending and shooting out at Ruby.

Ruby clicked the button on the pole of her scythe. The seal within activated, charging it the large steel blade with lightning.

The black haired girl swung the glowing white and blue blade down, connecting with its arm, but it bounced off without any effects as if the skin was some type of rubber. The upgrade was completely ineffective.

While trying to regain balance, Crescent Rose was thrown aside, out of her reach. There was a brief moment of hesitation, but Ruby was soon grabbed by the neck and slammed into the wall. She was held up, yet wasn't being strangled or crushed.

"Ruby!" Weiss exclaimed, gritting her teeth furious and thrusting her blade.

Much like the red scythe Ruby used, her attempt to even phase the beast had no effect.

She decided to try again, this time, imbuing the sword with several different Element Glyphs.

Upon contact, the effect was completely different. It passed through the coursing red flesh with ease, causing it to let out a monstrous roar. From the point of contact came a large explosion, throwing the four tailed beast and Weiss back to opposite sides of the facility.

Ruby was forced through the wall. She screamed as she was thrown back, yet suddenly stopped and fell silent. There was the sound of a thud that came far too quickly. She stared towards the hole she created, confused, She hadn't touched the concrete ground but certainly stopped moving. Her legs dangled as something held her by her hood.

"What a bother..." Ruby heard a low groan. The deep voice and almost bored tone belonged to a very familiar long black haired man who had a knack for appearing at the weirdest and best of times. She turned her head to see Madara himself, without a single scratch or piece of debris on him. He looked the exact same as he always had, except for one small change. His left eye was red with a black comet pattern. She had seen it once before, in the rainbow colored forest, and accepted it as another form of the blood red eyes that he was so prideful of. His right eye was a completely different story. It was blank white, as if the power and life that it once had was gone.

* * *

 **Earlier, Beneath Beacon**

* * *

"How unfortunate. For the likes of children, and in the heat of the moment, I had sacrificed my own sharingan… I believe I may be the only one to perform the Izanagi twice with the same eye. I underestimated the resolve of my enemies again." The teenager let out a light chuckle of self deprecation to himself. The only other time he had used the Izanagi, a forbidden technique that could turn any event into just an illusion, was because of a battle with his rival: the "God of Shinobi". After all, a single use would result in the blindness and loss of power in the eye that was used.

To think that he, now the strongest, resorted to that same death-defying technique against the people he considered weaker than the weakest. It was almost poetic. To top it all off, the people he had included within his technique were nowhere to be seen. They must have been scattered elsewhere from a miscalibration.

" _With the loss of one sharingan, the need to restore my true powers grows. To supplement, I should look into other options to increase my strength… a thought for later_ " Madara shrugged, turning his attention to his current location.

"Now then, this place… what the hell is it?" The Uchiha asked himself, looking around the corridor he stood in.

It was vast, stretching endlessly, and dimly lit by wall-mounted torches that generated green flames. He stood in the crossroads of two different hallways that intersected. Each path appeared identical to each other. It was then that he remembered something important, something that he had left on the back burner and almost forgot about. This location was the source of the uneasiness he felt when he had arrived.

Upon activating his remaining eye, he caught the sight of something unusual. Directly ahead of him, at least half of a kilometer away, was a human possessing chakra. It immediately caught his interest, and he used the Shunshin no Jutsu to teleport himself directly to it. What he found wasn't a shinobi from his world, nor a Tailed Beast. In front of him were two large containers with glass plates, connected by several tubes. In between them were three holographic interfaces, the centermost being the largest of the three. In one of the tubes was a woman. She had tanned skin and brown hair, wearing white undergarments and nothing else. She was motionless, asleep but barely breathing..

"You… called out, didn't you?" He muttered, staring intently at the woman. "But I doubt you expected an answer from anyone. How did you obtain chakra, when it should not exist here, I wonder? I suppose there's another way to get you to speak." Madara stepped closer to the panel connected to the tube, seeing a display of information pertaining to the girl.

Name: Amber.

Status: Comatose, Stable.

Life Support: Active

Transfer: not available. No transferrable host present.

Madara instantly recognized the situation. This woman, likely because of the chakra within her, was attacked and mortally wounded. The people that controlled this place, Ozpin, needed her alive but her status couldn't be publicized for obvious reasons. However, upon closer inspection, Madara discovered that there was more to her than just the chakra. There was something beneath her skin, attached to her heart. Black threads protruded from a bug-like creature, entangling around her heart as if it was strangling her. It would appear that a new form of grimm attached itself to her. It must've been what was keeping her unconscious.

" _Nothing will come from doing nothing. It has been quite some time since I have had to use this kind of ninjutsu._ " he thought, cracking his knuckles and forming a hand seal. "Doton: Chōkajūgan no Jutsu."

After increasing his physical strength by several dozens of times, Madara punched clean through the reinforced glass, grabbing the sides of the hole he made and tore it further open.

He drew a kunai and flicked it at the grimm bug.

It was going to be painful, getting impaled and all, but it was better than the state she was in. She wasn't going to die—not on Madara's watch.

It passed through her skin and the bug, deep enough to skewer the assailant but not enough to damage the fragile organ. It let out a shrill sound before falling silent, dead. Its roots dissolved into nothing.

Immediately, her eyes shot open and she stared fearfully as Madara tore open the front cover. It took a few seconds, but she soon realized two things: she was awake once again, and there was a throbbing pain in her chest. She saw the blade was sticking out of her chest.

Before she could even scream, Madara pulled out the kunai and placed a hand just above her. His hand glew, generating a light green gas spread to to twenty centimeters in diameter.

The pain started to slowly numb.

"Stay still." Madara commanded, focusing on the closing wound. "Your name is Amber. What do you remember, and how did you get your hands on chakra?"

"Chak-what?" she responded with a confused look. "For that matter, where am I and who are you?"

"Answer the question." Madara said, sharpening his eyes.

"I… I was in a fight. Three people attacked and ambushed me, and I… was overwhelmed. My powers, they were taken and… I don't remember anything past that—Wait!"

Suddenly, one of her eyes was overlapped by a clear ethereal lens. It had a fiery design to it, a far cry from a chakra cloak, but also a mere fraction of the power she possessed. She breathed out, relieved that she could at least do that, but frowned when her other eye was incapable of doing the same.

After the wound completely closed, Madara moved away from Amber before checking his scroll. Unsurprisingly, there was no service within this facility.

Suddenly, there was a roar from above, one strong enough to shake the ground they stood on. He recognized it immediately, and headed away from Amber and the machine.

Earlier, while scanning the surroundings, he had noticed a doorway of sorts behind him, but the chakra signature took precedence. With the emergence of the creature that caused the earthshaking cry, he could ask his questions later.

"Hey, wait a minute!" She tried to stop the man, but he didn't respond. He was already gone, as if he teleported.

" _I Should find a way out of here… but what if whoever attacked me is waiting?_ " She asked herself worriedly, manifesting a ball of flames in her hand and extinguishing it with a clenched fist. " _I only have half of my powers… damnit._ "

She had no clue as to what was happening. She lost a fight, fell asleep, woke up with a kunai in her chest, and then a guy she'd never met before removed the weapon and healed her in no time at all. Although, he didn't appear to care much for what she did afterwards. He also wasn't surprised by her showing off her abilities. He either beared witness to it before, or knew of greater power; power even above the strength of the seasons themselves? She wondered, but turned her attention to the sound of footsteps following a peculiar rhythm. Three taps occurred consecutively and slowly, before a gray haired man in green appeared from the shadows.

" _Well, this is certainly an unpredicted turn of events._ " He thought, taking a second sip from his mug.

* * *

 **Beacon Academy**

* * *

"I must admit, you've done well to survive thus far. However, you've done enough now." He said smiling, dropping Ruby to her feet and passing through the opening.

"Weiss, Ruby, retreat." he commanded, yet the two were hesitant.

"We can't. Our friend is in that thing." Ruby protested, clenching her fists.

Madara turned his head to look back, and actually flinched when he caught a glimpse of her altered appearance. " _Rinnegan?! But how… that is not my eye. When did it manifest?_ " He asked himself, stunned.

The unmistakable pattern and color that only an uchiha could awaken, in the hands of this completely unrelated child. He didn't have time to ask her about it, not that she could reasonably provide any answers. He was still in the crossroads between Weiss, the current wielder of the rinnegan, and a person wrapped in tailed beast chakra. Said beast roared once more, lunging towards him with an arm cocked back.

Madara easily dodged, avoiding the swing to deliver a kick to the stomach. The added benefit of increased gravity and strength sent it flying clear past the ice pillar and into the perpendicular wall.

"Both of you, stay back." He repeated, walking towards the beast while releasing a large amount of chakra from his body, leaving only enough chakra for one use of his Mangekyou Sharingan.

" _I do not know who your jinchuriki is, Yonbi, but it won't matter. While fuinjutsu isn't a category I'm particularly well-versed in, with or without the rinnegan or the Gedo Statue, the ones that I know are formidable even to you._ "

The Yonbi fired a volley of lava balls before lunging again, using its tails to attack, but Madara saw through it easily. He slipped past each projectile, avoiding damage with ease and grabbing the tails under his arms.

Using its own body against itself, Madara pulled the creature forward before grabbing and slamming its head into the ground, shattering the floor below.

He activated the Uke-Mochi, his left eye spun rapidly, resulting in orange chakra erupting from its skin and flowing into him. He had more than enough space to completely store the Tailed Beast's chakra within him. All he needed to do was keep it restrained.

It fell to the ground shrieking, trying to swipe or kick, but was unable to move. It was as if thousands of pounds weighed down on every ounce of its body. At first Madara didn't understand, as he hadn't cast any ninjutsu on its body, but realized the two white glyphs above and below the red beast.

" _He said stay back._ " Weiss smirked triumphantly as Ruby stared in awe.

Against a fully powered jinchuriki, Weiss's support would be little more than a slight obstacle. However, the full strength of the tailed beast was being restricted in multiple ways. Enough that her glyphs could make an actual difference.

Ruby, on the other hand, had nothing to offer.

" _I-I should do something but… I can't. I can't help them fight, I can't save Luna, I'm useless here…_ " She thought, looking down at her scythe disappointingly.

In a matter of seconds, the transfer ended and the last of the beast's chakra had been taken. It fell silent, motionless even with the removal of the glyphs.

The coursing deep red skin fell apart and evaporated, revealing the unconscious white haired girl underneath. She was breathing, but her aura and chakra were all but gone.

As the immediate threat was neutralized three began to calm, only to turn their ears to rushing footsteps coming from the hole Ruby had made. The three looked in the same direction to see numerous people rushing towards them, spearheaded by a certain pair consisting of a blonde older sister and a black haired ninja-esque girl. Behind them, which soon came flying over their heads, were large dropships bearing the emblem of the Kingdom of Atlas.

As ships flew above, dropping dozens of autonomous soldiers, Huntsmen and Huntresses secured the area, being directed by Ozpin himself to search every inch of the school. Glynda got straight to work on restoring the building to a more stable condition, removing the need to evacuate.

"Ruby, Weiss!" Yang shouted, tackling the two tired girls and holding them in a tight bear hug. It was suffocating, but she wanted to hold them as long as possible.

"Madara… you're-you're alive?" Blake stared speechlessly, before restoring her composure. "I should've guess. There's no way just an explosion would beat you."

"Indeed." He replied, deactivating his sharingan. " _Of course I won't be defeated, not by a simple tailed beast, now or ever._ " He reasserted in his mind.

He did not miss, out of the corner of his eye, the body of his opponent being leaned up against someone's knee. A black haired boy with glasses examined her, shaking his head before holding up his hand to her chest. Madara watched as the a stream of aura flowed from his fingertips into her. Her aura was restored, and the tailed beast contained within was reduced to a small bubbling sphere.

" _Fuinjutsu?_ " Madara presumed as he watched the process finish. "You, what was that?"

"Oh, nothing really, just fixing something. Don't you worry. She'll be alright. Just give her and it a few hours." He replied, laying her back on the ground and standing up.

"Are you sure, Pum?" Ruby asked, looking concerned at her friend before putting on a confused look. "Wait, you know her…! Are you by any chance who she calls her se-" she tried to say, but was quickly interrupted.

"All of that stuff doesn't matter, I'm just an old friend she doesn't need to remember. Less we're together the better. Please, do me a favor and don't mention it to her that I was here, alright? It's for the best." he asked with a forced smile before making his way out.

For a moment, Madara re-activated and deactivated his Sharingan. Though it caused discomfort, someone with the power to contain a tailed beast with aura alone was more than noteworthy.

The tailed beasts were sealed within very specific parts of the body, usually the stomach or chest, using a powerful seal. Instead, the four tails was contained by a shell. It had a potential if cultivated and adjusted accordingly. But even further than that, this person in particular was too casual with his actions. He knew what he was doing, which meant he knew of the tailed beasts and their powers, at least to some extent.

* * *

 **Hours Later, Principal's Office**

* * *

For better and for worse, the commotion had finally calmed.

On the downside, many of the White Fang's attacks were successful. Several large warehouses were demolished, their contents stolen. The prison centers were raided, many convicted members freed, including Adam Taurus and other high ranking officers of the White Fang..

After several confessions and a quick and thorough investigation, it was discovered that the attacks were performed through sabotage and subterfuge.

Fearing another incident, the kingdoms agreed to halt all international travel until safety could be guaranteed and another incident could not happen again.

More positively, the students thought to have perished in the initial attack were all discovered unscathed, save for one. According to some of them, it was as if time had skipped over half of an hour. The Grimm were defeated before widespread havoc could be caused.

An announcement for an early break was issued. The school year was postponed to allow a period of recuperation.

Almost unanimously, the students as a whole accepted the decision. They were all tired and the injured needed time to heal from their injuries.

Work was not all finished, however. While the students were gone, the governments of the world had more to deal with than they had in years.

"Leo, just what the hell was that?!" Qrow demanded, the sound of a table being slammed came from his end. "You suggested the program, you suggested tossing kids around like they were some random dice! Did you drink too much and think that nothing could possibly go wrong?"

"I… I'm sorry, but I would never allowed such a thing to happen had I known about it.." Professor Lionheart quickly defended himself.

"What happened was out of all of our hands." Ironwood declared, acting as a mediator between the prosecution and defendant. "What matters is that damage is minimized. Right now, we need to address the people."

"Precisely." Ozpin interjected, putting his hands together in front of his face. "Fighting amongst ourselves will get us nowhere. Leonardo, James, tend to your students and consult with your councils. The next two weeks will be valuable time for all of us."

"I'm taking time off. I have some kids I need to worry about." Qrow hung up, with Lionheart soon following, leaving Ironwood and Ozpin alone just as the latter wanted.

"Ozpin, I have one question for you specifically. Where is Pollendina?" He said in a low mutter. Of all the students that had been accounted for, Penny was the only one to not have been identified. Despite how scattered the students were, they were found. She hadn't left so much as a trace, meaning any number of things.

"I… haven't found her. Unfortunately, she is nowhere to be seen. I am sorry. Please give the doctor my regards and best wishes." He said, regretfully.

"The won't be happy about this. He accepted the first, but after this… worst case scenario, we could have an enemy too close to home."

"I will look into the matter. For now, let there be hope for the man. I believe that I can find the girl. It won't be difficult." Ozpin promised, hiding a pessimistic frown behind his arms.

"Understood. Ironwood signing out." The General left the call as well, leaving the gray haired man alone to think.

" _Fall has returned to us… yet from what he has said, that girl's seal has been disrupted. Gain only to lose… and this is only the beginning._ "

 **END**

"This is the first time I've addressed the readers in another person's story. Hello!

You know, I beta read a lot of the early chapters of this story but I eventually stopped because I felt like it was getting repetitive. The moment I leave, it suddenly becomes interesting again. I don't know what to think about that and AP1's not making any comment. Feel free to assume whether or not they have any correlation.

Obviously I came back. AP1 is a friend after all. Most of what I've been doing these chapters is breaking paragraphs into smaller chunks, though—no more highlighting multiple paragraph in red with a note telling him to revise it like in the earlier chapters.

He's improved a lot."

 **-Redler Red7**

 **Oh yeah, btw everyone. In light of some recent suggestions here and there. I've decided to take the next few chapters a little slower. I don't mean I'll be releasing them less often, I hate whenever I have to do that. I mean chapters will feel a bit slower, focus more on individual characters. Lots of stuff has been built up so I'm going to try my best to deliver. I want this story to be my own, after all, so I'm gonna put some time into the inhabitants.**


	27. Chapter 27

**Mighty Lubu- It's not a byakugan, sharingan, or any of their branches. It's something entirely original to this story I made up (fun fact I had a little discussion with others on whether it would be that or something else that is canon) Also thx for the reassurement. There's bound to be people who think the way I wrote him is/was OOC, but I like to think the Madara in this story isn't the same Madara in naruto canon. After all, this one's lived one more lifetimes than that one, has two more siblings, and an entirely different environment.**

 **Y'know, gonna be honest. I thought Chapter 25 was going to be the conclusion to eh whole Beacon thing, but I realized I didn't have the time/energy. Oh well, more the merrier.**

Chapter 27

The incident at Beacon Academy sent shockwaves throughout the world. Travel and transportation between kingdoms became limited at best. Larger companies were the most outraged by the decision. Several organizations demanded that they be granted immunity from the ban, but the governments were unrelenting.

The leader of the White Fang, Sienna Khan, claimed no responsibility for the incident and blamed a radical splinter group. Unfortunately, that didn't stop anyone from blaming the Faunus community outright. Radical or not, it was clear to all that the party responsible for what happened was the White Fang, a faunus led organization. Cross-racial crimes increased dramatically.

The the largest victims of the ordeal, Beacon's own students, came out the best. Although several were hospitalized with varying degrees of injury, they at least had the liberty to return to their families without much difficulty, more or less.

* * *

 **Patch Forest**

* * *

The Island of Patch was owned by Vale and was close enough that travel to and from was permitted. In other words, Ruby, Yang, and Madara could and were returning home for the first time in months. However, they weren't the only ones heading to the island. With the academy and its facilities closed off for repairs, the dorms had to be vacated. This mean that, for better or for worse, they would be bringing guests.

"That is so cool!" Ruby exclaimed, watching avidly as several streams of blue electricity condensed into a single pillar in front of her. A bright white matrix laid stationary below, acting as the power catalyst. Weiss, herself, was the powersource. Suddenly, the pillar shot upwards, the crackling as it vanished.

"You're still expending too much of your time and aura in forming your glyphs. Reduce the size and focus on increasing output with minimal cost." Madara lectured indifferently, his arms crossed and his basic Sharingan active.

Weiss glanced away for a moment, contemplating the suggestion. "I see."

She straightened her head and raised her hand once more. "Static Rook," she whispered to herself, fixating on the mental image of a much larger pillar.

In two seconds, a white Glyph reappeared with only half of the size that it was initially. The three comma marks that it had originally doubled to six in a hexagonal formation. At first, there were only sparks, miniscule strands of electricity jumped from side to side. Soon, the frequency increased, as more and more sparks appeared and grew. In no time at all, a—half as thick—cylinder of bright blue electricity shot into the sky. Upon the initial discharge, the pillar vanished into the air, the glyph following suit.

"You know, I still don't think we should be doing this in the forest. Who's going to get blamed if we end up starting a forest fire?" Weiss remarked, bringing a close to the glyph and the pillar alike.

"Only if you lose control. Raising the stakes will hasten your training. Something like this should be no trouble for you." Madara challenged, drawing four shurikens from his pocket. "You were quicker, however, you must become faster. Once you can tag these mid-flight, you will be more than proficient."

"How… and where do you even carry all of those? There's no way your pockets are that deep." Weiss asked with a puzzled look.

"He puts his stuff into paper, probably some kind of magic. It weighs practically nothing, even after putting heavy stuff in it." Ruby answered

She heldup a paper scroll rolled around a thin metal rod. After unveiling the innards of the parchment, revealing a series of black markings in a circular pattern and holding both sides of the rod with both hands, a large body of smoke erupted from the front side of the paper. Falling to the ground was none other than Ruby's beloved Crescent Rose.

"They only work for him, but he made one that anyone can use by channelling aura and gave it to me. It's a load off of my back." she explained, putting down the scroll and picking up the scythe, placing it on top of the scroll. After another explosion of white smoke, her weapon was gone and the markings returned.

"That kind of technology… do you have any idea just how much money you could make with that?" Weiss asked, utterly perplexed by the waste of potential gain.

Not only could he store considerably large objects in mere paper, removing the space they took up and weight alike, he found a way to allow others to do the same. Using this, whatever it was since it certainly couldn't be his semblance, he could decimate the numerous shipping companies around the world. Costs of storage and transport would be next to nothing. What else could he store within those paper scrolls?

Even more astonishing was his seemingly unlimited ability to surprise her. It was just one new trick after another. What was next, dropping a meteor on their heads? Destroying continents? Getting Blake to hold a conversation? In retrospect, he wasn't much of a talkative person either. Where did he even come from? With so many talents and abilities, he always seemed to be disconnected with their world.

"I have no need for riches of fame. They would only bring more nuisances to deal with." He replied, moving the shuriken out of sight. He scoffed at the idea of being anything like the near-mindless daimyo of his world, but more so the idea of having to deal with this world's version of them.

" _Money means nothing where I'm concerned. If I am to be well known in the world, it would suit me best to be known for strength, not wealth._ "

"Well, I suppose that's true." Weiss shrugged acceptingly, turning back away and resuming her practice.

Despite being in a time of recovery, there were a lot of things that Weiss had planned to do during this hiatus, a number of projects she wanted complete. Above all else, there were two objectives.

She wanted to master control over her elemental glyphs. They were still not at the level she wanted, as they still took too long and costed too much aura.

Secondly, she wanted to increase her aura capacity. There was the chance that the cost of these glyphs couldn't be reduced as much as she wanted. Increasing the pool she could draw from without needing time to rest would be another way to fix that issue, as well as improve her other parameters. Having a aura reserves like Yang, who could shrug off a hit from a fully grown Deathstalker, would be optimal.

That didn't mean that Weiss's only concerns were around her new Glyph type. She wanted to expand what she could do with her other glyphs.

The one that manipulated gravity could only alter a person's orientation and allow them to walk on walls or ceilings. Being able to increase or decrease gravity around certain things, like Madara could, could improve both her mobility and striking force.

Her Time Dilation Glyphs accelerated the time of single individuals, but if they could be used offensively and slow enemies down, their versatility would skyrocket.

However, to bring either to the highest level, she needed to stop relying on the dust needed to perform them.

Unfortunately, despite the many types that Weiss had access to, there was a single branch that had managed to evade her. Ironically, it was by far the most powerful Glyph type to date.

As if taunting her, while everyone in her family was able to use it, she couldn't. What made her dilemma significantly worse was the promise she made and the circumstances that allowed her to attend Beacon Academy.

Perhaps the solution to her problem had actually been right in front of her for quite some time.

"Hey Ruby, I've been thinking about a tune up. Could you take a look at my weapon? " Weiss turned and asked.

Ruby's eyes lit up with excitement. It was the first time Weiss had ever let her even touch the stainless steel rapier. As a weapon enthusiast, not being able to touch the unexplored when it was sitting in front of her was akin to torture. In a split second, the fifteen year old girl was right beside her partner.

"I never thought you'd ask Weiss I'm so excited! Don't worry about a thing I have a ton of ideas I that would work perfectly for you." Ruby exclaimed, speaking as quickly as she sprinted before a raised hand calmed her down.

"Just some slight tweaks. I think the hilt needs a new grip, leather would work, something strong and resistant to wear and tear. Also I was thinking about adding an edge to the blade." Weiss explained, handing the blade to Ruby as she continued to her lecture.

"Alright, anything else?" Ruby asked, frowning disappointedly as an upgrade wasn't listed in her requests.

"Yeah, but I'm not sure if you're up to it though. I was going to make the more major changes by myself." Weiss said skeptically as she pressed her hand against the side of her skirt.

"There's no weapon that I can't understand after playing with it a little. After all, I built Crescent Rose from scratch and do maintenance on Yang's gauntlets. If you wanted, I could probably make a replica of yours after a little while. I already kinda figured out how the chamber in the handguard rotates in both directions" She replied confidently. By "major changes", Weiss meant that there were going to be modifications to the sword's mechanics, not just minor adjustments for comfortability.

"Alright, if you're that sure then I'll let you. I have a list of modifications next to the bed in the guest room. Have at it, but don't overdo things, alright?" The heiress instructed as Ruby nodded before leaving. With her partner gone, Weiss sighed. "Now that that's going, there's something I'd like to ask for your help on, Madara. " She called out, turning her attention to her instructor.

"Something you want to keep hidden from Ruby?" He asked, dropping his arms to his sides.

"For now, I'd like for it to be a secret, at least until I've mastered what I need help on." Weiss admitted, forming a small Glyph levitating in the palm of her hand.

"I'll be honest with you. You probably know this already, but my family is known for more than just our company. We are also known for our Glyphs, It's a hereditary semblance, a very rare occurrence. While I'm the only one that can create Glyphs that substitute Dust, there's a certain kind of Glyph I… have trouble with." Weiss explained before creating a large white Glyph on the ground.

It rotated slowly but picked up speed as Weiss stared silently at it. It whirred as it rotated, like the blades of a helicopter, but only that. Unlike her elementals, nothing emerged from the white matrix. Instead, as the seconds passed, the circle began flickering and shrinking.

She then exhaled heavily, dropping her stiff shoulders and extended arm, the Glyph vanished without a trace.

"Summoning." Madara named, receiving a reluctant nod.

"It's not a problem with my form or with creating the right Glyph. I'm following the instructions step by step, but I just… I don't know why I've always had so much trouble with it. I don't know what I'm missing. I need to… I need to get this done, before classes start back up. Could you help me?" Weiss asked with genuine fear in her voice.

What was the urgency? More than just a need for improvement, it was as if she had something specific she was preparing for in the near future. Whatever it was specifically, it was going to be something of interest, a passtime for what felt like months of doing little to nothing.

"Alright." Madara replied with a stoic expression. Weiss had to do a double take upon hearing his response. She herself didn't think he'd actually say yes, let alone so simply.

"Was not expecting that." Weiss mumbled to herself, blinking in slight disbelief.

"What were your instructions?" Madara asked.

Weiss paused for a moment, but cleared her throat and began speaking. "Right: First: create and lay out the right patterns for the Summoning Glyph. Next: maintain it by constantly supplying it with aura until you have successfully summoned. Lastly, the one I have the trouble with; use the memories of the greatest enemies you have faced in the past and give them a form that will fight on your side."

" _Edo Tensei…_ " Madara thought instinctively. Returning fallen enemies to your side as warriors, a considerably useful technique.

The Summoning Weiss spoke of was very different than the kind of his world. In the Elemental Nations, summoning jutsu were a method of instantaneous teleportation. At times, it was used to summon weapons or other scrolls from somewhere else. At others, one could summon animals like dogs or snakes or hawks. However, summoning here was much less commonly practice and used very differently. There were no reported cases of actual teleportation, outside of semblances. The only one he had heard of, that was in possession of this skill, was currently off of his radar. That said, the matter at hand was her goal of mastering Summoning Glyphs.

On one hand, they could be incredibly useful, reinforcements from seemingly nowhere could both throw off and overwhelm an unsuspecting opponent. On the other hand, only summons weaker than the caster could be called forth. An enemy significantly stronger or smarter wouldn't be beaten by a simple numerical advantage. Madara himself and his many battles alone against thousands were proof that large numbers meant nothing without strength.

That was where Weiss's other Glyphs came into play. She didn't have good endurance, meaning she needed to take a smarter approach when in combat. She had a quick reaction time. In conjunction with the multiple kinds of Glyphs she had at her disposal and the minimum aura they each costed, as well as the dust housed within her sword, she was good at taking control of the battlefield and tipping it in her favor. A single recreation of a Beowulf wasn't all that impressive. Any huntsman or huntress in training would be able to easily dispatch them. But an Alpha that moved twice as quickly, more durable and could use the elements like humans and Faunus used dust, all under her direct control?

"So, how should we begin? To be honest, I'm a little doubtful that the way I've been drawing the Glyph has been wrong, or that my stance is off." Weiss muttered aloud.

"No, in fact neither your posture nor your Glyph formation have anything to do with your ability to summon. You can create them quickly and the fact that they appear at all is proof that there is no issue with your use of your semblance." Madara reassured the girl in white,

"The issue is with your vanity. Before, you were blinded by your own sense of self worth and overconfidence. You saw failure as the fault of others. Now, or perhaps even before, you fear failure being your fault. So much so that it inhibits your potential. Quite ironic though, that the person you would put blame on would be yourself above all else. Though small, it shows your growth."

"Is, that so…" Weiss turned her gaze away from the Uchiha,

"You're afraid of failure, understandable yet foolish. To fear that is the same as to fear success. By stagnating, you stand to gain nothing, and will only be left behind by those who are different. Ruby and Yang understand this already, and have shells they will break out of when the time comes." He said, looking back in the direction of the house.

"Then, it sounds stupid, but how am I supposed to do that? I'm not as strong or as fast as the two. Yang is fast, tough, and has a semblance that just makes her unfair against almost anyone going head to head. Even excluding Ruby's speed, she has those eyes and I know for certain there's something more to them. Something like that doesn't just happen for no reason. She may not realize it, but I know that she'll end up in something big." Weiss declared, remaining still and awaiting a reply.

" _A sense of inferiority, uselessness… hm._ " Madara thought, a smile forming on his face as he leapt back and reached behind him.

In a split second, he drew a single kunai and pointed the tip at his own chest.

Weiss silently gasped just before she watched the blade grow closer to his heart by each passing moment. She was too far from him to just grab it, yet she couldn't stand there and not at least try. If anyone could do anything, it was her.

There was a flash of light and a sudden piercing sound. Weiss eventually regained sight after hearing a crisp sound of metal piercing something nearby.

She saw that the kunai had embedded itself, not in Madara, but in one of the nearby trees. Said Uchiha was about two meters back from where he stood, his expression unchanged. Both of his arms were outstretched. One was being grabbed by, and one grabbing at, a pair of large arms. They were white like ice, emitting a small frozen mist from every section, all stemming from two large white Glyphs hovering behind Weiss.

As the commotion settled, The white haired girl looked up at the arm she had conjured, speechless and confused.

" _Deja vu… except I'm on the opposite side._ " Madara thought, reminiscing of the moment that he had been in this girl's shoes to save the life of his lifelong rival.

"You knew something like this was no harm to me, and that you couldn't stop me if I willed it, yet you chose to act regardless. You were dead set on changing what could have happened and weren't going to let anything stop you." He lectured as the arms evaporated into the air. "Though, you will have to rely on yourself to extend the duration."

"Yeah I got it." Weiss responded dismissively, straightening her back and sighing. "But… thanks for what you did, aside from the fake suicide attempt."

"Thank me when you've defeated your enemy." Madara said, shocking Weiss. "That incoming phone call that you hung up. Your haste to unlock your ability to Summon, for that matter, to master all of your immature talents. You have something, or someone, you will face." He declared, deactivating his Sharingan.

Weiss stared at him frozen, but let out a short breath of acceptance. "I guess Yang was right. You really do figure things out faster than anyone else… yeah, there's something coming soon, it's what I've been spending the past few years of my life for… I'll be heading back to rest now."

Madara watched as Weiss walked back to the Rose-Xiao Long house, recalling what she said about the change in Ruby's eyes with irritation.

When he questioned Ruby about how she somehow acquired the Rinnegan, _his_ eyes, he learned that she got it just around the time the ship he was on exploded, and he activated the Izanagi. He had theorized before that after being sent through Kaguya's portal almost a decade ago, his powers were scattered around the world. Either because of the difference in the flow of time between their worlds, or a mishap with the space-time ninjutsu itself, they were also scattered across time. It would explain why the tailed beasts, chakra, and the rinnegan were appearing in different places at random times. He was fortunate enough that someone so close held one of his most important and useful powers, but it was also unfortunate that they were someone so close to him. He couldn't simply rip it out of the girl, for both obvious and personal reasons.

On the positive side, Ruby did not have both Rinnegan. Her other eye was an unknown kind, a mutation of her silver eyes. His other rinnegan was somewhere else, with someone or something else. He only needed one to reclaim the power of the Ten Tails and return to his world. However, the more he thought and planned about returning, a recurring question. What was he going to come back to? If Kaguya had survived their fight and went back to the Elemental Nations, and if what Black Zetsu said was to be believed, the people he put under the influence of the Infinite Tsukuyomi may have already been turned into White Zetsu.

Even worse, if Kaguya were to arrive in this world… he needed to reclaim the fragments of his lost powers. He didn't know how much time he had, nor where to look. As such, his next step was to improve his sensory capabilities to the best he could. Luckily, with the aid of his Mangekyou Sharingan, he had confirmed the presence of an energy in Remnant. It wasn't the energy of the soul called Aura, nor his chakra. It was… natural.

 **END**

 **Oh yeah as for just what Weiss summoned, it's not a grimm that she defeated before, but it is something she's defeated, you could say it's herself**.

Hey, this is Redler again.

Interesting thing about Myrtenaster. The shape of the blade is more box or diamond shaped than a typical sword which means it doesn't need to be sharpened—it was never meant to be used for slashing. It's still a metal stick, though, so a swing will still hurt. It's just not lethal like a stab.

Just an interesting bit of trivia I remembered while beta-reading this chapter.

 **So basically, aside from the handguard and capsules, it's just a metal rod with a point.**


	28. Chapter 28

**Zabaniya- I established that in chapter 25 or 26, did you not notice it then? Kind of a weird place to quit.**

 **Kage-kitsune9001- If you mean blind, yes. Izanagi/Izanami causes permanent blindness after one use. The only way to restore the eyes are by evolving them.**

 **Issy786- I assume you mean Ruby getting the rinnegan and other people getting tailed beast. As according to Madara's theory, his powers were scattered. Some are bound to end up in/on people. All nine Tailed beasts just being out in the open would be too easy of a scavenger hunt.**

 **Warhaven22- thanks for coming back, hope I don't disappoint. As for Ruby's new eye, it's kinda a struggle to figure out what unique power she'll have. I'm trying to take into account attributes to both the Silver Eyes and Chakra.**

 **Neonzangetsu- "can't incorporate another verse character without changing everything" So I'm the one with "retardation" yet you somehow don't understand the point of a crossover. Sure, let's go with what you think it better and make a crossover story, but the new characters have zero impact and follow one of the stories as if nothing was unusual. I've done that before, and it's not fun.**

Chapter 28

* * *

 **Unknown Location**

* * *

Penny Polendina, a one of a kind existence, neither machine nor man. With a body of steal and a real living soul, she was destined to be Humanity's new sword. She and her descendants yet to come were going to protect the world of light from the darkness. Yet, despite her great strength and intellect, her match was met before she could even touch the true battlefield. An explosion of great strength, powerful enough to damage even the likes of her, came for her mercilessly. It came from faunus, from the light she was meant to protect. Why would they do such a thing?

More importantly was that she was alive and intact. Just before the numerous explosions went off simultaneously, an emergency shutdown was automatically triggered. Her core programming, as well as the data she obtained over the past few months, was transferred into a black box and a message was sent to an unknown destination. After some time she was manually restarted from an outside force. Surprisingly, she was completely unscathed. As if the attack via suicide bombing never happened.

" _Where… am I?_ " Penny asked herself, turning her head to the side. There was little to be seen within the small room she found herself in. based on the color and look, the building was most likely made of wood. However, there was one thing within the room that caught her attention. Leaning against one of the walls was a girl wearing a white and pink coat over a black top and pants and vanilla white boots. Her hair was pink and brown, her eyes sharing the same heterochromic scheme. Her overall color scheme invoked the theme of neapolitan ice cream. She was smiling at Penny, as if the two had just reunited after years of separation. Penny was certain the two had never met, but then why did she feel like they had? It didn't help that she seemed to be emitting some type of signal towards Penny, a signal that she herself was capable of producing for various reasons.

"Hello, please identify yourself," Penny attempted to say, but realized that no sound came out. It wasn't her hearing that was damaged, but something disabled… the numerous mechanisms that allowed and generated her speech were completely removed. The system check revealed as much. Suddenly, her ears twitched and she turned her head to the door. Soon, Penny too could hear footsteps coming from the other side of the door.

"Hey, Neo! Did you manage to get her running?!" the two heard a male voice, muffled by the thick wooden door. The footsteps grew louder before suddenly stopping. The door opened and revealed an—all too familiar—international criminal wearing a bowl hat over his bright orange hair. "Hm, I guess it took less time than I thought, nice job," Roman complimented.

Instinctively, Penny shifted into combat mode. A panel opened on her back, ejecting a thin single edged blade that fell into her hand. It was weird, shouldn't they have disarmed her? Especially considering they were able to remove the hardware responsible for her voice. Nonetheless, she lept off of the table and charged straight for Roman. He didn't flinch as her attack was halted by the tri-colored girl's weapon: an extremely durable closed umbrella. More intriguing than the weapon, was her ability to match her in strength. Penny's artificial strength should have given her an advantage.

"Woah, woah, easy there. You're going to get nowhere fighting with my partner, so just put down your sword and just listen," Roman said, holding his hands up beside his head to reveal no weapons. Penny stared at him perplexed, being pushed back by a single shove. Without an ability to question or interrogate the ginger, and at a disadvantage, she relented. Perhaps she could benefit from whatever they had to say.

* * *

 **Xiao Long-Rose Family Home**

* * *

"Hey dad, have you seen Blake?" Yang asked has she walked past a small garden being tended to by her father.

"Uh, I don't really know. She might be in the guest room," Taiyang suggested. "Y'know, she has some weird sleeping patterns."

"I know right? This one time on a weekend, she was so tired that she knocked out for over fourteen hours and only woke up after the sun went down. It was pretty cool though. I didn't think she had it in her." Yang exposited, sitting down besides Tai. However, before the man could respond to his daughter, the back door beside them was opened by… Yang…

"U-w-what?" Taiyang shot up to his feet, spinning his head back and forth between the two identical twins. Last he checked, there was only one Yang. he didn't have _that_ much to drink last night, certainly not enough to cause a hallucination like this.

"Pffft, I knew that'd trip you up." The Yang beside the open door laughed at his expense, holding up one of Madara's—unrolled—paper scrolls . The Yang closer to him exploded into a cloud of white smoke, leaving nothing behind. The huntsman was surprised, but now that he knew what was going on, he was able to calm his nerves.

"You know, your brother's not going to like that you stole that," he reminded the shorter blonde.

"Yeah, but I think he'll be more impressed that I snuck it out. It's the first time ever after all," Yang countered as she rolled the scroll back up. "Also he's not in his room right now. He's off on his own somewhere, if the one I saw was even the real him… Do you think he got confused when he first did his 'Kage Bunshin' thing?"

"I know I was," Taiyang replied, recalling the first time he'd seen it happen. At first, he thought it was Madara's semblance, but he was very quickly proven wrong.

"Actually… I think I just realized something special about these copies." Yang paused, scratching the back of her head and looking off away from her father. "Like I wasn't here talking to you, but I know what my double and you talked about. I think that whatever memories it gets, go to me when they disappear. This is great, now I'm mad that I didn't get to this thing sooner. I won't have to go to class anymore. If physical experiences also return to me when the copies disappear, then working out would be so much more effective. I wonder… Maybe if I figured out how to make more, I could do anything!" she concluded, grinning over the ideas she formulated.

"Think like that and you'll be facing a lot more failure than you think," he pointed out, earning a confused frown from his daughter as he chuckled to himself. "As versatile and useful something like Madara's clone technique is, you should've noticed long ago that he doesn't stick to one or two things. No strength is without a counter, which is why flexibility is extremely important—just as much as being strong. Rely on just one or two things and you won't be any closer to changing your win/loss record— _or_ even becoming a real huntress."

Yang paused after hearing what her father said, thinking more so about the unspoken implications. He was obviously talking about the copying technique, more so about over reliance on it.

But what about what she already did? Her entire fighting style centered around her semblance. She took hits then used their strength to increase her own. It usually worked but—even excluding her fights with Madara in which he was always holding back to a certain degree just for a fair fight—she was outsped in other sparring matches against the likes of her own team and team JNPR. She also remembered the fight she had before against Ruby. If Ruby had landed the hit with her scythe, supercharged by Madara's lightning modifications, Yang wouldn't have been able use it to her advantage with how much of her aura was depleted at the time.

" _Hm, I guess he's right…_ " Yang thought, shaking her head as she quickly came to her senses. "Right, I almost forgot what I was going to ask. Have you seen Ruby anywhere? I haven't all morning."

"I think she followed Madara and your teammate Blake to the forest, Actually that may have not been the real him either. Wonder why he's got so many around…" Taiyang muttered to himself.

Yang nodded, standing back up and walking away from her father and his small garden. "Cool! Thanks dad!"

She smiled, waving goodbye as she made her way.

* * *

 **Patch Forest**

* * *

Motionlessness—lack of any kind of movement or sound. That was the state of Madara Uchiha—one of him at least.

He wasn't a practitioner of senjutsu, so to speak. He never learned how to gather natural energy. The one time, outside of being the Ten Tailed Beast's Jinchuuriki, that he used senjutsu chakra was after taking it from his enemy.

Surprisingly, balancing nature energy with his chakra wasn't difficult. It was quite easy actually.

That left only knowing how to obtain the energy. Fortunately, he had a solid idea already.

He had seen individuals enter their "sage modes" first hand. In those situations, they had always been completely still without moving a single muscle. If that was all he needed to do, it wouldn't be any trouble at all.

And it wasn't. He could already feel the absorption of natural energy into his body.

As expected, his reserves of chakra far exceeded what was required for senjutsu chakra. After only fifteen seconds, he had changed enough of the chakra within him into senjutsu chakra to be used for sensing.

Utilizing the expansion in perceivability granted by senjutsu, it was as if he could see in every direction at the same time—even through solid matter like the byakugan. With the amount of senjutsu chakra he had amassed, his range was somewhere around five kilometers.

" _Hm, Yang is approaching, and will be here before long_." Madara noted, one of his eyes twitching suddenly.

Luckily, this also tipped him off on an incoming _projectile_ of sorts. There was silence before something suddenly came flying towards him from behind, faster than the eye could track and with their arms open. He dodged to the side, avoiding a small girl in red passing by him and hitting the trunk of a tree. It vibrated against the impact, leaving a dizzy and groaning Ruby.

"Oww~, dangit…" Ruby muttered to herself, peeling herself off of the trunk. " _I thought that I was silent._ " She thought before looking at Madara.

His face was slightly different, like he uncharacteristically decided to put on face paint in some weird pattern. He had a dark, almost black, pigmentation around his eyes and lines that extended to his ears. A small strip of the same pigmentation ran down from his bottom lip to his chin. He remained quiet, as Ruby wasn't the only one targeting Madara. In what _would_ have been a blindspot, another girl wearing black touched the ground and kicked upwards. He shifted his head to the side and caught the leg with one hand, spinning around and flinging Blake towards Ruby. unprepared, the girl with purple and platinum eyes acted like a cushion for the larger girl, which was not at all pleasant. Luckily her aura cushioned the blow for her.

"How did you-" Blake tried to ask as she separated herself from Ruby before seeing the markings on his face.

"One of these days, I'm going to catch you off guard." Ruby declared, standing up and brushing the dirt off of her skirt.

"Hm, that remains to be seen. For now just another failed attempt." Madara retorted, crossing his arms.

"What were you doing, sitting on the ground like that?" Blake asked curiously, her bow moving ever so slightly.

"It's nothing that concerns either of you." Madara replied as he expelled the senjutsu chakra from his body. His test was successful, he only needed to decrease the time it took for absorption.

"Whatever you were doing, you could dodge something without even seeing that it was there. You've found another way to get stronger." Blake said, crossing her arms.

"It _would_ be nice to be let in on some of what's happening." Ruby said disapprovingly as she walked closer to Madara. "Madara, back with what happened at Beacon, before Luna turned into that red monster, I saw something in her weird. I think that I saw chakra. I haven't seen anything like that after, except for when it went from her to you, then it was gone. Then after you asked me about how my eyes changed, you haven't said a word about it since. Feels like everytime something happens, there's more and more that doesn't make sense. What are these monsters that aren't grimm?",

The Uchiha sighed heavily, still reluctant on saying anything.

While she maybe _should_ know, Ruby was one of the last people Madara _wanted_ to know the truth. Knowing would only get her into more trouble. It would be far better for him to keep her away from the field of battle while he quietly searched for either the other Rinnegan or another way to take hers. There was even someone who he may be able to come to on the subject of an effective sealing method.

Unfortunately, reality continued to fight against him. More and more obvious became the issue that their lack of clarity could lead to complications. Though he was still confident that they wouldn't pose an actual problem, there was always a margin for error that he couldn't ignore.

"Very well," Madara relented as the markings on his face finally disappeared with the removal of natural energy from his chakra.

The two girls' eyes widened, almost dumbfounded. Neither of the two actually thought they'd get anything from the boy. For Ruby to get answers on the four tailed creature Luna became, to get an explanation of what chakra was; to know what her eyes had become— it was almost like a dream come true.

"But before that, I believe that there is someone else with a secret they've been keeping. Black Cat?" Madara said, glancing at Blake for a split second.

She glared daggers, which may as well have been spitballs.

Suddenly, Madara vanished, likely back to the house, leaving the two alone.

"Blake?" Ruby asked, turning to her team member with a concerned frown. "What did he mean?"

"I… umm," Blake stepped back, looking away from her team leader.

"What did he mean by 'black cat'? Blake, it's alright to tell me whatever your hiding. If there's something you're scared to say, I'll do whatever I can to help you, We're not just teammates, we're friends, right?" Ruby, smiling as she assured the girl in black.

"R-Ruby, it's not like I don't trust you or your sister with it, but—" Blake paused, shaking nervously. "If I tell you, promise me you won't tell anyone about it. No matter what, nobody can know." She demanded without any sarcasm in her voice.

"O-okay then you can count on me to not tell a soul," Ruby replied, feeling uneasy but maintaining most of her composure.

After hearing her confirmation, Blake nodded. Slowly, like she was forcing herself, Blake raised both of her arms above her head and undid the bow that she wore at all times. With the black string in one hand, she took the black bow off of her head and revealed a pair of black cat ears atop her head.

As it just so happened, the two were alone for not a second longer, as it was then that Yang finally arrived on the scene.

"B-Blake?" Yang stared speechlessly.

"Yang?" both Ruby and Blake looked back at the blonde, silence taking over the three.

* * *

 **Unknown Location**

* * *

Still disarmed and walking between Roman and an—equally as strong—girl in a single file line, Penny was led to a different room.

Much like the other room, and the corridor the three went through, it was decrepit. Old wooden walls were filled with holes. In the middle was a table with four seats, a chandelier hanging directly above.

"You know, you have no idea how annoying it was finding you after the explosion. You'd think it'd be easier without your friends around, but it wasn't. Of all places, you were on some random guy's house," Roman said, sitting down in one of the seats and gesturing for the two girls to do the same. "Mind you, the bombs weren't part of my plan. Unfortunately, those stupid animals just can't control themselves for a few minutes." Roman complained with an aggravated tone.

" _Why for me? Do they know my secret? No, that wouldn't be possible… but how were they able to remove my ability to speak?_ " Penny thought remaining still as she slowly scanned the room for a chance of escape. Something was telling her to flee, anything to not be around this man but she couldn't do anything yet.

"Now, you're probably wondering why we went out of our way just for you. Personally I wouldn't have, would've been way to risky for either of us, but my partner here was very adamant on it. Getting you away from your masters in Atlas isn't the hardest thing though. Good thing I'm more tech-savvy than I look. You see, robo-kid, you probably are aware that you have a tracking device installed. However, I bet you didn't know that it's your voice module. That's how they find you. Most people wouldn't suspect it but _she_ did." He gestured to Neo, who tilted her head with a smile. "Long before we met, she found out about it and threw hers away."

Penny shifted her focus to Neo. Her voice module? The heterochromic eyed girl didn't just have some implant to help with an inability to speak. Why would something like Was he trying to imply that this girl was like her? How many had actually come before her then?

"You're starting to catch on now?" Roman asked, smiling behind his hands. " This world's a lot bigger than you were told—and a lot more treacherous. Daddy probably told you that you were one of a kind—his special little girl—but you were lied to. You saw the picture, didn't you?" Roman asked, reaching into his white coat and pulling out a scroll, turning on the screen to show the picture Penny had seen before. It was the picture she had on her own scroll, sent by an unknown source.

No. It wasn't unknown—not anymore.

Just as she came to this conclusion, she watched in awe as Neo's pink and brown hair darkened into a uniform pitch black. Her eyes changed color as well, an emerald green deeper than Penny's. Her hair changed again, from black to the same orange that Penny's hair was, before her eyes and hair returned to their original brown and pink.

"Woken up yet? Hard to believe, but I'm telling you the truth here. You're one of many, just the second to ever make it out of the prototype phase, but they gave her a little more freedom than they realized they wanted to. Aside from a few restrictions and different purposes, you two aren't that different." Roman said, putting down a small box and microchip onto the table in front of Penny.

The girl picked up both objects, scanning them both for clarification. She flinched upon confirming that the chip was indeed used to emit a signal at all times.

"It's right here—the thing that'll let you speak. Interestingly enough, they clip together a lot easier than come apart. You could do that. The beacon would activate and your owners can find you… but they'd look through your memory and probably erase all of this. You'd forget all about this little conversation. If you didn't, you'll get the same treatment Neo did. There'll be another one just to replace you—just like any other machine that can't do exactly what the user wants," he warned, both him and Neo standing up from their chairs.

" _Or_ you could join _us_ , your older sister and me. Big things are going to be happening soon, and none of the kingdoms will be ready for, but I have a plan." Roman offered, extending out a hand.

It was, a very eventful few minutes, to say the least. She shouldn't believe a single thing that he said, being the criminal that he was, but the evidence set in front of her wasn't easy to deny.

Neo was the girl in the picture, meaning she had that tag on her leg just as she herself did. It wasn't enough though, she was compelled to discover more. She needed to know more about this, and her "father" wasn't going to be telling her. Despite being a machine, she had a sense of self preservation. If she went back to Atlas, she would lose the information or be replaced.

What were her options?

 **END**

 **Keep in mind that this was foreshadowed it back in chapter 20. It's only now that I'm building off of that idea from then. If you don't agree with the idea, that's fine. I decided to do it because I think it'll be beneficial to the story, more specifically Penny. A little existential crises never hurt anyone. I took a little inspiration from a few old stories I like. Admittedly they were handled better, I'm happy with what I'm planning for later on.**


	29. Chapter 29

**The Jingo- I'm not gonna judge on what they choose to write, it's entirely up to them. For them and what they write, I hope for nothing but the best. I don't know whether the neonzangetsu that reviewed here is the real one or not, and I hope it's not, but it doesn't matter very much to me.**

 **V- the goal of the OCs wasn't just to contain the tailed beast. They're in part represent a world not just around Madara; outside forces that intertwine with what has been set in motion and flow alongside it, affecting it in small and large parts.**

 **Oh yeah and uh, doubt any of you care but if you've ever heard of Glitchtale, I'm working on something regarding it.**

Chapter 29

* * *

 **Patch Forest**

* * *

"Yang?" both Ruby and Blake looked back at the blonde, silence taking over the three.

Yang's lilac eyes, slowly darkening to red, were wide open as she stared at the second pair of ears atop her partner's head. Looking at the cat girl now, the use of the bow made much more sense. Blake never seemed like the type that would wear a bow for aesthetic purposes or for keeping up some kind of appearance. Instead, she used it to hide her faunus traits that would otherwise stick out.

It _did_ also seem to explain the tension between her and Weiss. The Schnee family wasn't particularly known for its positive relations with Faunus. However, that realization did nothing to ease tension, the exact opposite in fact.

Yang's eyes turning deep red was a clear indication that she was angry. Fearing what could have happened based on the circumstances, and likely being the most , Ruby stepped forward in an attempt to break the silence. "Blake, you're a Faunus? Why didn't you tell us before?" Ruby said nervously, asking for both herself and her sister.

" _Damnit Madara! What the hell have you done?!_ " Blake screamed to herself before snapping back to reality. Unsure of what to do, Blake muttered incoherently, searching for some answer she didn't have. "I'm sorry, it's not like I wanted to hide it out of spite… I just can't say." She replied.

"No, enough with the secrets! I'm so sick and tired of just being left in the dark when something could be done! Just tell me!" Yang shouted, shoving Blake back angrily. Blake staggered, her eyes widening in surprise. "My mom leaves and my dad says nothing about it. There's this whole thing with Madara and he doesn't tell anyone anything. Now you? I don't care about what you are. Human or not we're partners, so just tell me what you're so scared of!"

Blake's mind was running wild, she couldn't think clearly anymore as alarms blared in her head. Her natural instincts were screaming danger, but she couldn't find anywhere to go. Trapped without a single place to go, and facing a foe she could not surmount, Blake's ability to process information had hit a breaking point.

Blake caught her breath, and relaxed her shoulders. Watching the girl in black recline, Yang too calmed, but remained adamant and expective. "I…I can't hide it anymore." She warned the two, glancing away nervously. But they remained still and focused. "You probably could've guessed by now. I didn't come from some well-off family with servants like Weiss did and I didn't come a family of huntsmen like you two did. Although, it was anything but calm or quiet. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that I spent my childhood fighting. Ever since I was a kid, and up until I applied to Beacon Academy," Blake paused, inhaling sharply "I used to be an active member of the White Fang."

Following her declaration was a suffocating silence, a silence that felt like hours at least, but was only for a brief moment in actuality. Both of the sisters' eyes widened. Neither's faces implied anger or elation, just shock. It would normally have been hard to believe. The quiet and reclusive Blake being part of an organization that committed murders and robberies? Not only that, but she was also attending Beacon Academy. All of the students should have been background checked. Ozpin's methods were unorthodox at times, and he wasn't against bending the rules to further certain goals, but openly accepting former terrorists? For what purpose? Did he not see the potential dangers of such a thing? Ruby and Yang wanted to know more about the situation, more about Blake's past.

There was still no response, as the sisters remained on the edge of their proverbial seats, prompting Blake to continue. Her cat ears twitched anxiously, before she resumed talking.

"I was apart of it since I was just a little girl, fighting for the equal treatment we were promised but never given. I really believed that if we kept trying and never gave up, then our wish would come true. But then five years ago, our leader stepped down. Their successor was… a lot more aggressive. They didn't think we were doing enough, and decided to fight violence with violence. The worst part is that it was working. People started to look at Faunus in a different way, but the wrong way. Instead of respect, they were afraid. I didn't realize it then, but we were turning into the monsters we were discriminated for. The White Fang that I believed in was gone, and I couldn't stop it. I just wasn't strong enough, and I needed to be. I thought, if I became a huntress, I could actually make a real difference and return the White Fang to its older ways. Then, as I made my escape, Madara appeared and helped me. Even though he was just a teenager as old as we are, he was in a league of his own and far above anything I knew existed. Since we were in Vale, I thought he may have been a Huntsman, or at least one in training. I decided that if that was the case then he could make me even stronger, maybe even help me." She explained, pausing to catch her breath. Her breathing was uneven at first, but the fear in her face had diminished. She looked relieved to have gotten so much off of her chest.

"So then that's why you came to Beacon." Ruby concluded with Blake nodding, confirming her deduction. The heterochromic eyed girl was relieved to know that her teammate wasn't just a criminal. She saw the error in what her allies were doing and was actively trying to put a stop to it.

"And what about us? Aren't _we_ a team? Aren't _we_ supposed to be together? Or are we just your way to Madara?" Yang asked, cocking an eyebrow at the Faunus in front of her.

"What? N-no!" Blake exclaimed, taking a defensive stance.

"Then do you trust even us? After the time we've spent fighting the White Fang every time they started trouble and hurt innocent people? Was this all nothing to you?!" Yang shouted back, her aura flaring up in a small fiery explosion as her eyes turned red once more.

"I don't know!" She screamed out, water particles scattering from her eyes. "This is exactly what I thought would happen. I knew you would hate me when you found out, was I right not to trust you?! What happens now, are you going to call the police?" Blake challenged.

"I-" Yang froze, finally being on the other end, at a loss for words. She wanted to deny Blake outright. She didn't hate Blake, nor was she going to rat out her own friend. She may have had a bad past, but she was a different person now. It's what she should've said, so why couldn't she?

This new situation that the members of team RWBY had fallen into was inevitable, a product of their actions and a result of who they are. Yang's energy had finally been exhausted, her adrenaline bottoming out. Her brain could no longer handle the torrent of emotions she was feeling. In other words she ran out of steam, and at the worst possible moment.

"No, we wouldn't ever do that." Ruby interjected, stepping forward and standing up for her sister as well as herself. "I don't know how much it means to you, but it's the truth. You're not apart of them anymore right? You're becoming a huntress just like us, to make the world a better place. That's what matters the most, not what we were but what we will be. If there's some way we can make things better, then please tell me. As team leader, it's my job to sort these things out." their team leader declared.

Blake looked at Ruby's eyes directly. Briefly, there was a faint glimmer within her shiny metallic eye, fading as abruptly as it had first appeared. It would've been impossible to see normally, but the sensitivity to light brought upon by her Faunus genes allowed her to notice. It was probably just the light reflecting for a moment. More importantly was Ruby herself. She was always honest. Well, unless it had to do with cookies. She was in many ways a child, naive and optimistic even when faced by reality. Was that so bad though? She was old enough and mature enough to take responsibility as the team leader. She wanted to reconcile as soon as they could. Unfortunately it just wasn't enough, but it may have been what she needed the most. An honest word from an honest girl.

"I want to believe you, Ruby. I don't think either of you are bad people at all. I just… I need some time alone to think." Blake muttered, expecting for Ruby to try again. She would stand firm with her decision even if Ruby begged. She just wanted to be alone for awhile, to think about things on her own.

"I understand." Ruby nodded, surprising both Yang and Blake. Her shoulders relaxed as she gave a small smile to her senior subordinate. "If you need that time, then go ahead. You can take as much time as you need, alright?"

"...thanks. I'm going back to my room. Don't bother me." Blake said, unprepared for such a response. She left without another word, moving quickly but not running, just speed walking. In her stead, remained the siblings. Though holding bittersweet feelings about the conclusion, Yang chose to accept Blake's decision. Everyone needed time to cool off, even from their own friends and family.

"Ruby?" Yang asked, also surprised by her younger sister's conduct. It was a delayed response, but Ruby turned back around to face Yang.

"Yeah?" she asked, in the same innocent tone she normally had.

"N-nothing…" Yang responded, scratching the back of her head awkwardly. "Just, that was, really unusual of you."

"It was?" Ruby's face contorted confusedly. "I, I thought I was acting normally. Did I sound strange? I hope I did a good job, I'm worried Blake may think I was embarrassing or being silly."

Yang chuckled at Ruby's expense, raising a hand to rustle her little sister's coal black hair playfully. As her little sister, Ruby was used to Yang's spontaneous mood-swings. "I think you did fine little sis. C'mon, I need you to help me out with something. I kinda need help cleaning up my room and you're the speedy one."

"What?!" Ruby whined dejected.

"I'll let you copy my homework. I know that you haven't touched yours and Weiss won't let you use hers." Yang offered, smirking as she watched her sister contemplate the decision.

"Fine, but you better hold up your end though!" Ruby demanded, earning another laugh from her sister. With the atmosphere having lightened, the two could breath normally as they returned home.

* * *

 **Elsewhere - Vale**

* * *

"Y'know Pyrrha, you didn't actually have to come with me. I can take care of myself." Jaune chuckled lightly, albeit self deprecating.

"That may be so, but it is good to take precautions. If something were to happen to you while you were alone, we would be in quite the trouble, Plus, you don't have your sword anymore," Pyrrha countered, before cupping her own mouth. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have brought that up." she apologized.

"It's alright Pyrrha, it's not your fault." The blonde replied, taking out and looking at a small metallic shard from his backpack.

The Crocea Mors, Jaune's sword, was broken into pieces during the attack on Beacon. The sword alone had been passed down for five generations, eight decades old and used during the great war. Despite all of that, it was broken, shattered by a single attack. Now, he was off on his search, a search for an individual to repair what was broken, and restore the Arc's treasure.

"Jaune, it isn't your fault either." Pyrrha remarked, frowning at the boy. "It wasn't you who broke the sword, it was that girl with silver eyes, wasn't it?"

"Yeah yeah, let's just keep going." Jaune brushed off, picking up the pace and walking more quickly. "I can't believe that four different blacksmiths didn't have what I need. The sword is just made of some metal isn't it? At least that's what I thought, but it's made of some kind of ancient steel or whatever." he complained, a look of contempt forming on his face.

"T-To be fair, it _has_ been a very long time since the sword was forged. It's only natural that the methods and materials had changed accordingly." Pyrrha explained to the blonde. "Nonetheless, I'm sure we will find someone who has what we are looking for. We just have to keep looking, alright?"

Jaune stopped for a moment, looking away as if he was contemplating an idea. Before long, he regained composure. "Y-You're right, I just have to keep my head held up high- wait a minute… is that?" he muttered, staring ahead.

About fifteen meters away from Jaune was a group of four who had just walked out of a restaurant. One was a brunette and hat two protrusions sticking out from the top of his head. Two looked similar both having black hair, but one was somewhat taller. The fourth member was… the most noticeable. She was petite, almost to the point of dwarfism. She looked like a child, without a doubt the most unusual of the quartet. Based on Jaune's reaction, he seemed to recognize them or at least one of them. As they drew closer to the four, who also stopped to notice them respectively, one of their faces became more familiar. The slightly taller boy with black hair and glasses, she had seen him before briefly during the attack on Beacon. According to Ruby, he was a second year who participated in the scavenger hunt. His weapons and fighting style were unknown, but he was able to transform himself into an intangible black monster vaguely resembling a grimm. Apparently he was also the "sensei" of a girl named Luna who was able to create explosive shockwaves with her hands and feet, as witnessed by Weiss. The triangular points sticking out of the brown haired boy's head turned out to be cat ears. He was a Faunus.

"You, you're Kari and Neko right?" Jaune asked, staring at the shorter black haired boy and the faunus.

"Uh, yes?" he responded while looking somewhat confused.

"Hello~" Neko waved as he smiled. "You're that kid from the field trip. Doin good?" he asked as he put his hand down.

"Um, alright I guess." Jaune replied, laughing weakly as he remembered what he carried in his backpack. "So this is the rest of your guys' team?" he asked turning his attention, and intentionally the topic, to the two he had never met before.

"I'm Pum, leader of team PNNK." Pum said in a bored tone. "Looks like you've already met my partner Neko and you've met Kari. This is Ness, Kari's partner." he said, pointing to the pettite girl.

"Hi!" Ness exclaimed. Her high pitched voice and physique perfectly invoked the image of a kid, even more so than Ruby did despite the fact that this girl was a second year. Just what kind of person was she on the battlefield? What kind of weapon would work with someone of her size?

"So, you're friends with the so-called 'Invincible Girl' huh?" Kari asked, crossing his arms.

"Yeah, she's my partner actually." Jaune corrected, gesturing to the red haired girl.

"It is a pleasure to meet you all. I guess you all already know who I am." Pyrrha said with a weak chuckle.

"So what're you two doing out here?" Neko asked.

"Oh, nothing really. Just going around looking for…" Jaune paused, before his eyes widened and he stared at Kari. "Wait, Kari, there's something I want to ask your help with."

"Alright? What do you need?" Kari asked, startled by Jaune's abruptness.

"You're family owns a huge production company right?" Jaune asked, recalling what Blake had said about the boy and his family. "There's this… thing I need to repair. I wanted to see if you could help me get the metal. It's called 'Aurea Iron. We've been looking around for awhile but nobody has any of it"

Kari's ears perked up to the name, his face being washed over by a look of surprise, as well as confusion. "Aurea Iron…? Well there's a reason why nobody has it. It's a really really old metal from, like, a hundred years ago. It's not used or made by, really, anyone these days. Why would you want something like that? Is it for some kind of challenge or history project?" he asked, Jaune shaking his head before taking out another object from his backpack. With a golden crossguard, a blue handle, and the lower half of a sword, the blonde's intentions became clear.

"I… need this repaired. My grandfather told me that it was made from Aurea Iron," Jaune said, looking away from the sword as if trying to avoid it. Kari and Pum stared blankly at the remains of his sword, Pum more intently than his teammate.

"Lemme see it," Kari requested, Jaune acquiescing and allowing the boy to examine the shattered metal. "Hmm… Yeah, this is Aurea Iron… Aside from whatever you did to it, it looks like it was made almost perfectly. There's no impurities or mixtures in it—just pure Aurea Iron. Broken or not, this thing is worth a lot… well, for collectors that is." He commented to himself.

"So do you think you have any of it—the metal?" Jaune asked, his hopes risen by the amount of expertise the boy had over the iron.

Kari pressed his chin against his hand, mouthing words to himself incoherently. "I… think I can find you some. I don't remember exactly, but I'm pretty sure I saw it while I was taking inventory." He said with uncertainty in his voice. "Alright, I _should_ be able to get this fixed."

"Really?" Jaune asked, looking elated by the news.

"Well… yes. but—" Kari answered, but was cut off.

"If you're going to talk about it, let's take it somewhere else," Pum suggested, tilting his head to the side, in which a small crowd was starting to form.

"I would agree," Pyrrha said, uneasy as she too noticed the congregation.

"Alright, let's get to our place. It's pretty close to here right?" Kari suggested, Pum nodding in confirmation.

* * *

 **1 Hour later**

* * *

Their chosen destination was a moderately sized facility. The wooden floor was covered in carpeting, a single row of lights hung from the ceiling, illuminating the large room evenly. A staircase to the side led to a series of doors which each had uniquely decorated nameplates. Neko and Ness had climbed the stairs, walking in through two doors, likely their rooms.

"Jaune, will you come with me?" Kari asked, gesturing to a door on the bottom floor.

"You forgot to say 'would you kindly', Kari." Pum whispered, neither of their juniors understanding what he was talking about. "Ignore me, go with Kari and you'll get what you need. Then you can fix your sword and get back to relaxing at home. Don't forget that classes start back up a week and a half from now." he instructed, sounding like a classic teacher.

"Uh… right. _My_ sword." Jaune paused, frowning before he followed Kari into the room.

The room they entered was far larger, and looked completely different. The ground was made of concrete or stone, gray walls and ceiling like some kind of warehouse. There were several aisles formed by large metal shelves arranged in rows. Boxes filled the shelves, holding every kind of material from glass and ceramics to metals and plastics.

Jaune was in awe, but focused Kari had walked towards one of the shelves and held his hands to the sky. The fingerless golden gloves that he wore started to unravel. As if they were made of some kind of sentient thread, the long strands ascended towards a small wooden box labelled "Aurea". Despite their thinness, the dozens of golden lines wrapped around the body, moving it from its place and bringing it closer to him.

" _Woah~_ " Jaune thought, more than impressed by what he was witness to. "Are those your weapons?" he asked as the crate touched the floor.

"Yeah, it's just something I made with some help. I'm more of an indirect fighter—support's my thing." He explained as the strands removed themselves from the crate and reformed into gloves. "Well, your metal's here but there are some things you should know. I was trying to tell you about it before but Pum cut me off." He warned, dropping his smile and staring intently.

"A-alright." Jaune said nervously.

"There's two things I can do for you. Either I can make you a brand new sword, or I can reforge your broken sword. If I reforge it, you may not get exactly what you want. Re-treating and tempering the blade could lead to degradation, it won't be as strong. On top of that, the iron I have isn't as pure. Along with being over-treated, it will have impurities."

"R-Really?!" Jaune stuttered, shuffling around in his backpack and taking out the multiple pieces of the blade. "Would it be noticeable?"

"Probably. The more impure the iron, the darker it is. It'll have a weaker reflection to it. Otherwise, you'd only notice if you break it again because it will be weaker." Kari explained, showing off a chrome-colored chunk.

"T-but that can't be. I need this to be fixed and be just like it was!" Jaune protested, looking down at his broken sword. "I just, it's an extremely important sword."

"Important to who exactly?" Kari asked, crossing his arms and raising an eyebrow. "Nowadays, most people use weapons made of many different components, specified or made by themselves. That way, no matter where you are and what situation you're in, you'll be able to fight at your best. We make our weapons extensions of ourselves, practice with them until using them feels completely natural—like a muscle or limb. I watched your group during the field trip and, to be honest, you seemed extremely out of sync. You fight like your sword is just a sword, instead of your arm. Considering how old the material the sword's made out of is, I can't imagine it's even _your_ sword."

"I…" Jaune paused dropping his arms and his head. "It's not really mine. The sword is a hand me down from my great great grandfather, all the way back from the old war. It's been used by him, my great grandfather, my grandfather, all the way down to me. I learned how to hold it, practiced the same moves they all used, I even got help from my own teammates, but then I broke it. Me. After eighty years I just let it happen. I can't just go back home and show _this_ to them. I may not like it, but what am I supposed to do? Give up what my family's been holding onto for so long?!" He shouted, dropping the sword and clenching his fists.

"Yeah." Kari replied simply, staring at Jaune with a composed look.

"W...wait what?" Jaune asked, Kari's unexpected answer pulling him back to his senses.

"I mean yeah, it's not exactly cool to your folks, but your life is yours. Your family can pass on a legacy for however long, but eventually it needs to conclude. Don't you think it's unfair that you have to give your life up without a say? Isn't it better to hear your own voice loud and clear than just an echo?" Kari asked, walking towards Jaune and kneeling down, picking up the broken sword. "No matter what, this will never be the same sword. It's legacy is over, you're not your father or his father. Your team isn't their teams. Whatever you do with it now, will make it _your_ sword." he explained, handing the remnants back to its rightful owner as he stared him in the eyes. "So what's going to be your first move?"

Jaune took another look at what remained of the Crocea Mors and saw two things. He saw decades of experiences, adventures, and challenges that the sword had endured. He also saw, within the broken blade, an opportunity. He saw something new, something he hadn't ever noticed before. It was cracked, but he saw his own reflection. He saw what it could be, what he could be.

"I think I'd like to make some… adjustments." Jaune muttered, looking up to see Kari smiling.

"Alright then, let's get to work. I have a few suggestions to make the sword a bit more flexible; a sharpening; could make the swings a bit faster and—Oh! I think adding a new handle may make gripping it—" Kari trailed on, smiling gleefully as his speech gradually became more incoherent.

"Uh, if it's alright, I'd like to look it over myself." Jaune requested, pulling Kari out of his rant. "And maybe some work on the shield. It's a two-piece thing." he said, opening his triangular shield.

"I see, then I am at your service buddy." Kari announced, raising his arms to his sides before stopping and dropping them. His smile fell and changed into a look of confusion. "Actually, now that I think about it…"

"What?" Jaune asked with a concerned look.

"The indents on the blade, and those cracks… come to think of it I've seen Pum do that when we first became a team. Man, Yatsuhashi was _not_ happy with that. But anyways, let's get to work. Alright?"

"I… uh… okay then?" Jaune accepted reluctantly. He really wanted to inquire more, but it didn't seem like he'd get an answer, not from Kari.

 **END**

 **Well, 100k word milestone reached. I feel like I said I would do something if I ever reached this. eh, oh well.**


	30. Chapter 30

Chapter 30

These beings serve as the greatest foe to mankind. Although the creatures of grimm appear mindless, more delicate observation has proven contradictory. It has been noted that, while younger grimm tend to be more reckless, older Grimm that have managed to survive their battles have the tendency to learn from their experience and will exercise caution in the future. This perverse form of self preservation allows the creatures to become more effective killers.

They have existed longer than humans. Living weapons—dangerous from the moment of birth with an unnatural longevity and fitted with boundless potential, all in the name of destroying man and his creations. For as long as humanity can recall walking on the surface of remnant, so do they remember this wicked force… However, there's much that humanity has yet to discover, or perhaps has chosen to forget.

In a time long before the maidens—before dust, huntsmen, and the kingdoms—there was a war lost to time. The Grimm— _the first Grimm_ —banded together, their glowing eyes set on a single, unified focus. Their immense might and knowledge met little resistance from man, and victory was within their grasp. Yet, it was stolen from them.

The elder brother, last to leave, blessed humanity with a gift. It was a gift that could destroy the grimm. Ultimately, their feud culminated into one last battle. In the span of a single day, the mightiest of Grimm and the mightiest of man fell, side by side. In this tragic feud, a creature was born, and an orphan made.

Left alive, but without the company of its brothers, was the Grimm's youngest. They bore witness to everything. From the youngest, seeds were planted and sewn throughout the lands. The seeds grew into infants, and the infants born bore their fangs towards the infants of Man.

Even now, little has changed. Children are born, children fight, and children perish towards a goal long forgotten.

Standing over the remains of what was once family, the youngest shed a single tear but no more. They looked to the dead sky and bloodied land and made a single wish. Despite the lives lost, the pain suffered, there was no response. The Youngest cursed the name of the gods. Vowing to put an end to their legacy.

Quite a long time has passed since those days, and now, the answer has finally made itself known to the youngest: A small rippling red sapling and great _beasts_.

* * *

 **Fall Vault**

* * *

"So, how are you feeling now, Ms. Amber?" Professor Ozpin asked, staring intently at the tanned skin girl as he took put both hands on his cane.

The girl with short brown hair was clad in simple brown pants a white shirt and a brown corset. She sat against the large pod that had previously acted as her tether to the land of the living. With her back slouched forward and pressing her arms against her knees, she kept her eyes and face to the floor with a dejected grimace.

"I feel… restless, I guess," She muttered, creating a small flame in her hand and quickly snuffing it out. "You've had me stay here since I woke back up. I want to get out there as soon as I can and find whoever those three were."

Suddenly, there was a thumping sound directly above the two. It was heavy, but trailed off towards the same direction as the elevator to the vault was. While Amber looked up, raising her guard as a fiery lens covered her left eye. On the other hand Ozpin remained still, not bothering to look for the source of the noise. He merely smiled warmly at whatever had caused the noise.

"Fortunately for you, that chance happens to be arriving soon. Please make yourself as presentable as you can." He requested, turning away with an expective stare.

The maiden was confused, she understood that Ozpin had planned for something to arrive—something or someone that could help her in her own mission. A headmaster? The greatsword-wielding Huntsman that saved her? Another maiden? No, it couldn't be another maiden…

But who?

A second before they could even hear the announcing ring of the elevator, the two adults felt a gust of wind brush past them—certainly unusual considering they were underground.

After lowering her arm and opening her eyes, She was surprised to see a familiar male face standing in front of Ozpin. Clad in dark red armor she hadn't seen during their previous encounter. His arms were crossed, paying attention to nobody but Ozpin.

"I'd like to ask how exactly you got here in such short time, but I do not think I would get the answer I'm looking for." Ozpin remarked indifferently, his smile disappearing. "Nonetheless, thank you for coming on such short notice. Now then. I believe you have already been acquainted with one another?" he asked, stepping aside and out of the Uchiha's way.

Amber stared with a surprised look at the black haired boy. She hadn't realized it before because of how she was positioned in the pod but he was actually just a teenager, mere centimeters shorter than she was. Of course, it wasn't anything more than an observation. She knew to a certain degree what he was capable of. He _did_ manage to tear apart the steel container, break the glass, kill a Grimm latched to her heart, and heal her before she could sustain serious damage. On top of his skillset, he was trusted enough by Ozpin to be made aware of the maidens.

Ozpin _did_ tell this boy, didn't he?

"Now then, I suppose we can skip introductions. I would like to thank you ever so much for, whatever it is you did to revive Ms. Amber." Ozpin said, tilting his head to the girl.

"Is that all?" Madara asked, his eye twitching in frustration.

"Hardly. I have called you here for a much more pressing matter. You see Mr. Uchiha, whether you know it or not, Ms. Amber here is the Fall Maiden. Much like you, she can make use of the elements without the need for dust or Aura. However, circumstances have led to part of her full power being stolen."

" _Wait… he's only telling him now?!_ " Amber did a double take of the situation, staring dumbfounded. " _And what does Ozpin mean by 'like you'? Why is that boy so calm about all of this? just what had happened before I woke up?_ "

"Simply put, I would like to ask you to help her in capturing her assailant." Ozpin explained.

"How?" Madara deadpanned, his arms remaining crossed.

"According to one of my colleagues, the process that was used to steal her power was interrupted. As a result, the two hosts of the same power are _connected_. Call it a psychic link, telepathy, whatever you wish. It's not a perfect system and she will only be able to determine the general location. Should Ms. Amber find herself in a crowded area, she would be at a severe disadvantage. Even if she were to corner them, she is not as strong as she was when she was bested to begin with. That is why I have asked for your assistance," He explained, waiting with the indifferent look that he had always worn

"Very well," Madara replied simply. It was tempting to say the least—someone of this world with the strength to overpower chakra. Granted, she had very little in comparison to him last he checked, but a step forward was a step nonetheless. If he was lucky, there would be a power greater than the one he was being tasked with hunting. It would be a good diversion while his shadow clones continued on their own searches for the more important targets.

"Good. To be more detailed, your mission is to find and capture the one who attacked Ms. Amber alive." Ozpin looked back to have both of the two within his field of view. " I shouldn't have to tell either of you to keep this matter a secret. The public must not be made aware of the magic of the maidens. It would be… problematic for everyone, to say the least. Now then, with the travel restrictions, you will have to search without assistance from the school. Surely individuals of your calibers won't have any trouble though. With that said, I wish you the best of luck." He said, turning away with an almost indiscernible smile.

* * *

 **PNNK**

* * *

Unlike Jaune, Pyrrha hadn't followed Kari into the storage room. She was left with Pum. It didn't take long for her to realize that he was not a sociable kind of person. Since the two were left alone he had said very little, other than leading her to a table with chairs. For the past fifteen minutes or so, that was where they had been. Needless to say, the atmosphere was rather heavy.

Yet, despite their silence, Pum seemed hesitant about something. From the random shifting of his eyes to the occasional tap on his crossed arms, it was pretty clear to the redheaded girl that he was holding something to himself. Despite that, his lips continued to part slightly and close periodically. It was as if he wanted to say something—and was about to—but couldn't bring himself to. It felt, familiar for some reason.

"Pum, are you alright?" Pyrrha asked with a curious look. Perhaps his silence was unintentional, or he just had some kind of issue she wasn't aware of.

"Yeah, just uh… just not good at idle chat. Never been a conversation starter," he replied, his face still uneasy. His response caused Pyrrha to laugh to herself, which he promptly reciprocated. "Weird isn't it? I mean, for a team leader to not even be able to talk to people?"

"Hardly. A good friend of mine is not very sociable either. She is the introverted kind. Though, I _am_ glad that you were able to respond, at least." Pyrrha replied smiling sympathetically. "You are the leader of your team, right?"

"Yeah. Somehow," the black haired boy replied, leaning back in his chair and looking above him. More specifically, he stared at the two doors on the second floor above him. "Back when I first came here, I didn't think I'd be able to even pass the initiation. I just figured _'hey, might as well try'_ and went with it. In the first ten minutes after landing, I encountered Neko. After a quick run in with a swarm of lancers we met Ness and Kari. One rough first year full of drama, a couple of near-death experiences, and a few _mishaps_ later, and we're second years. Pretty amazing how things work out in the end right? I guess that's just how the dice fell though."

Pum pursed his lips together before suddenly shaking his head around. Once he had stopped flailing, he refocused on his guest. After a deep breath, he was ready to let out whatever he had been holding onto.

"Y'know, I've been meaning to ask you something. What uh, exactly _is_ your relationship with him? Is he like, a friend, teammate, boyfriend? Or something else?" He asked in a strained and forced tone, looking relieved that he had finally asked.

Pyrrha, on the other hand, wasn't so calmed by the question—particularly, the "boyfriend" part. It hadn't really crossed her mind before—not intentionally at least. Though she wouldn't admit it, she felt infatuated by the boy. He was not strong, not smart, but he was kind. His imperfection, attitude, and caring nature were what drew her to him. She could only imagine how he felt towards her.

"Um, no, we're just partners." She corrected, waving her hands in front of her defensively. "I found him during our initiation. There's nothing in between us."

Pum propped his arms up on the table, holding his head up by his cheeks and continuing to look at Pyrrha analytically "Hmm, forgive me for saying that's hard to believe."

"I-I'm sorry?" Pyrrha asked defensively, frowning with an agitated look..

He laid one arm onto the table, leaning his tilted head and intrigued face on one hand alone. "Pyrrha, What do you see him as, exactly?"

"What _I_ see him as? I… I see him as my partner and leader-" Pyrrha tried to defend, but a raised hand silenced her.

"Is that so?" He muttered, a short smile forming on his face. "On the way here, every time I heard the two of you talk, it always sounded weird. Like, it sounded like you were lecturing to him instead of talking… But there was also a lot of sincerity in your voice. It's… no, I think I'm looking at this wrong."

Beneath the table, Pyrrha's hands clenched tightly. " _Lecturing? Is that how he sees it? I never noticed that I spoke in that kind of way. I thought I've been speaking normally. I mean, yes, I've been trying to help Jaune in his training. Does Jaune also see it like Pum?_ " she asked herself, frowning.

"No, it makes sense now." Pum whispered to himself, giving a saddened frown, leaving Pyrrha confused. "The Invincible Girl is one high title. From a name so high you probably wouldn't ever befriend someone as low as he is, but you _did_. But the problem is you don't quite know how to talk to him. My guess is that, before Jaune, you haven't really _'talked'_ to someone in years. There's not a lot of talk that happens on the battlefield either. From where you were, things were always professional or formal am I right?"

Pyrrha lowered her gaze to the table, more specifically to her own shaking hands. She didn't know the cause, but did her best to mitigate their movement. She took a deep breath in and out. "During my time in Mistral, my title was common knowledge—even more so than here in Vale. At times, it was incredibly helpful and made my troubles much easier to deal with. I didn't exactly dislike it, but I quickly became isolated from even the people that had christened me with my title. It was impossible to form any meaningful relationships. But then I came to Beacon and met Jaune. He was… _uninformed_. He had no idea who I was. I was just another initiate in his eyes—exactly what I wanted to be seen as."

"But instead, you can't help but treat him like he's beneath you— even despite the fact that he's the team leader. Though… I'd wager that he's more to you than that." Pum asserted, his smile widening impressed. "He's someone you cherish—maybe even romantically. You want to be closer but have no idea how."

"I-uh…" Pyrrha stuttered with a blush forming on her face. "I don't know what it is that I could do. As much as I will defend him on on his shortcomings, both academically and in the field, he can still be… _dense_ at times." she explained, letting out a disappointed chuckle.

"Well, I can only really suggest one of two things," Pum said, holding up two fingers. "Either you just flat out confess your feelings, or keep waiting and hope that he eventually figures it out. They're both pretty risky but that's just how romance is, right? Then again… I'm, without a doubt, the last person to be talking about romance."

The two both laughed at the Pum's self-deprecating remark, he ever so more than Pyrrha. Eventually, Pum regained his serious look.

"Seriously, though. If you want him to get the picture, I'd suggest being direct as possible. Don't ever hesitate to go for what you want. It might not be available forever." Upon his final statement, the two heard a door open nearby. "Hm, sounds like they're done. Well, that's all I have to say I guess. Ready to see whatever your partner's decided?" he asked as he rose from his chair.

Without replying Pyrrha stood up out of her seat as well, following the second year back to the main room to see her own teammate's results.

* * *

 **Vale**

* * *

" _I didn't think that my attackers, whoever they are, would be within this kingdom's borders. I guess I should consider myself lucky all things considered._ " Amber thought to herself as she walked alongside her temporary partner.

Despite being the Fall Maiden, a powerhouse in the world of Remnant, she had the freedom to walk amongst the populace as if she was a normal citizen. It was thanks to Ozpin and his coalition that knowledge of the Maidens was no more than just a fairy tail. For the purpose of acting covertly, it was extremely useful. Unfortunately, the only people they were looking for were some of the only ones who knew the truth. Although, it was perplexing. It had only been eighty years since the schools and the vaults were formed. How was common knowledge and understanding reduced to nothing in just that much time?

Putting questions aside, she was at least glad to know that not much time had past since she fell into her coma. At most, it had been two or three years. There were a few things that the woman was unfamiliar with, but nothing of importance. Sightseeing could happen another time. She had a goal to achieve. Just as Ozpin had explained, Amber could feel a psychic link between her power and the fraction that was stolen. With help from Madara's senjutsu-enhanced sensory, of which she knew nothing and was told nothing about, they narrowed down their search area considerably.

Their intended location was on the southwest corner of Vale, just barely within the kingdom's borders. There were very few buildings, just broken down houses and unmarked buildings. It was fortunate for both Madara and Amber. A low traffic area with practically no civilians around meant no witnesses. The enemy was somewhere here. If they wanted, they could flatten the area without a single concern. However, that would grab the enemy's attention early, something Amber didn't want to do if there was even a chance for the target to escape. Unfortunately for her, Madara was not the type that enjoyed wasting time.

"Alright, let's start s-" Amber tried to command, but paused as Madara stepped in front of her and drew his war fan.

After taking a short and quick survey of the buildings, he clutched the handle with both hands and held it up, pointing the dust array at the buildings. " _This much will be enough._ " he thought, making two one handed-signs. Though the gunbai wasn't capable of channelling chakra like his original, he could make it seem as if. " _Fūton: Daitoppa_ "

In unison with the large blast of wind created by his gunbai, he opened his mouth and breathed hard. From which, a much more massive and much more powerful body of compressed air flew out. Thanks to the degradation of the wooden houses and buildings, broken down by weather and time, his wind succeeded in almost completely levelling the land. All that remained were a few structures of stone and metal. Most importantly, was a single large warehouse that appeared mostly unharmed.

"They are there." Madara notified Amber as he lowered the gunbai. His Sharingan told him everything he needed to know.

"Y-you… why did you do that? if they really are there, then they know where we are coming from. It would've been smarter to move with stealth and scope out the whole area." Amber declared with an irritated look.

"You and they are linked. Whoever stole your power already knows we're here. Obstacles will only get in the way." Madara replied with a expectant look in his white and red eyes.

"That… is true." Amber thought, frowning at herself for not noticing, Madara didn't stop and wait for her, he had already turned back around and advanced towards the building while cracking his knuckles. It wasn't that she wasn't excited as well, but she was driven for a different reason. She was attacked, ambushed and taken advantage of. Now awake, she demanded revenge. She was going to have it and reclaim _her_ power.

However, as they approached the building closer and closer, the wall slowly saturated with an orange tint. There were muffled clicking sounds and a high pitched ringing coming from the facility,

 **END**

 **I'm actually planning to do a story around team PNNK... maybe some time in the future.**


	31. Chapter 31

**Guest- "someone of this world with the strength to overpower chakra" was referring to how Cinder, Mercury, and Emerald beat Amber. I've Mentioned before that the "magic" is chakra. It's just… slightly different.**

Chapter 31

* * *

 **Vale Outskirts**

* * *

Madara and Amber, powerful individuals in their own rights, approached the large gray building calmly, silently, yet making no attempts to conceal themselves. It was all but a certainty that the enemy was already aware of their presence. Stealth would be pointless. Impressively enough, the last remaining structure was sturdy enough to withstand his initial attack.

Madara gripped the handle of his war fan and prepared to launch another attack, one strong enough to demolish the building. However, just as he did, he noticed the faint orange tint on the wall increasing in saturation. More importantly, he saw that the cause of this color change was chakra. It was being melted at a rapid speed.

Suddenly, the wall explodes violently, creating a cloud of smoke. Several large chunks of molten debris came flying towards the two at high speeds. Amber prepared to defend with a large wall of dirt or a shield of ashes, but Madara was quicker on the draw. Pulling the trigger on his gunbai and activating the wind dust array, causing a large wave of compressed air to expel from the fan. The molten stone projectiles were stopped dead in their tracks, cooling and solidifying as they hit the ground.

Out from the black smoke that obscured the newly-made entrance emerged three individuals., Madara recognized one of the two girls as "Em", whom he had encountered twice. The boy with gray hair, wearing metallic silver and black tracksuit. Bullet casings lined his forelegs, suggesting that he was skilled in using his legs more than his hands. The third was dressed in a red dress and had black hair tied in an—over the shoulder—braid.

The woman in red was the object of interest. Madara could detect chakra coming her. Said chakra was the exact same as what Amber owned, exposing her to be the thief and the capture target. Thinking back, this woman displayed the same aura and chakra signature as the woman he fought during the night before the invitation to Beacon.

"Take the two on the sides, that one in the middle is mine." Amber commanded, glaring daggers at the three in front of them. As a maiden she had vast control over the elements, exemplified by the clouds gathering and darkening above them.

However, Madara was not one for taking orders, especially not those beneath him. Amber found that out quickly as when she glanced back in his direction, he was gone. The Uchiha had already taken off, sprinting towards the three.

The magic thief waved her hand in front of her, causing seven glyph-like symbols to appear around and below Madara in a hexagonal pattern. With a searing screech, they exploded, raising seven pillars of fire into the sky. With flames of this intensity, even a professional huntsman would find themselves facing serious issues after an attack like this. However when the pillars shrank and dissipated, Madara remained completely unharmed. The people around could only barely catch a glimpse of a deep blue flame popping in and out of existence just after the fires vanished. Before she could prepare another, stronger attack, Amber had taken off towards her, hurling several balls of fire forward. The flames were intercepted by blasts of white energy, expelled from the legs of the gray haired boy as he kicked upwards.

" _So his primary method of attack is through his legs, interesting._ " Madara thought. He had fought many different kinds of people in his long history, shinobi and samurai, to brawler's and thugs. One who relied solely on kicks alone? A fight against that would be intriguing, a fight he hadn't been in ever before.

Emerald raised her hands, pointing a pair of green handguns at the Uchiha and firing repeatedly. However, even without his Sharingan, Madara could see the bullets as if they were arrows through water. He weaved past every shot, not even bothering to defend with his gunbai. It would be pointless to wastefully wear out his equipment.

With her ranged weapons proving ineffective Emerald, along with the tall gray haired boy, switched to close quarters. They would have better chances of landing hits if they were closer, while the Thief faced off with Amber.

Emerald's jungle green firearms, opening and straightening to form a pair of short scythes. The boy remained the same, likely meaning that he didn't need to transform whatever weapons were attached to his legs. The gray haired boy was seemingly faster than Emerald, and was the first to attack with an axe kick. Madara blocked with his gunbai, activating the array and throwing him clear off of his balance. He tossed an explosive tag at the boy, detonating it just before physical contact could be made. He heard a loud cry coming from the cloud of smoke, continuing until there was a thud on the ground. He was incapacitated, but before he could confirm the amount of damage the boy sustained from the explosion, he noticed one of Emerald's blades sliding into his peripheral vision. He pivoted, guarding with his fan once more. Emerald dropped to the ground, trying to catch his legs with her blades, but was unsuccessful.

Madara collapsed the fan into its compact-carrier mode and sheathed it, switching to a bare-handed style. Emerald swung wildly, trying anything she could to hit him, but nothing worked. Each time the blades came close, they passed right by as if he was just an incorporeal spirit. On the fifth swipe, Madara caught her arm, maneuvering around her and tripping the green haired girl. He pinned her to the ground, placing a paralysis seal on her and anchoring her to the ground. She struggled, trying to oppose the patterns of black characters that restrained her, but to no avail. All she could do was remain where she was and wait for their leader to stop these two.

Finished with the two distractions, Madara turned his attention to Amber and the Thief, only to see the former come flying at him uncontrollably.

"Fūton: Reppūshō" Madara muttered as he clasped his hands together. A small burst of wind collided with Amber, slowing her descent considerably. Even so, the maiden had still hit the ground hard, but her aura remained intact.

"D-damnit." Amber cursed through her scowl, slamming her fist into the dirt. " _Overwhelmed by this much, how?_ " it was hard for her to believe, more so to accept, that she was being defeated once more by the same person. She had been trained in the use of her magic for over a decade. She hadn't been in her coma for nearly that long, yet this person with less experience and less of her magic was able to fight on equal footing and even surpass her. How disgraceful, to be on the ground once more.

"Leave it to me." Amber suddenly heard Madara remark, watching in confusion as he walked past her and towards her opponent. Even if he had defeated the other two, he certainly wasn't a maiden, did he have even greater power? The black haired woman descended, hitting the ground with a soft click of her heels. Fearlessly, she approached the two with a smirk across her face. In turn, Madara began to walk towards the faux-maiden. The two stopped once they were within three meters of one another.

"Might I say that you have quite some power. " She spoke in a composed, smooth tone as she maintained her smile. "To defeat those two with so little difficulty, and to survive one of my attacks without a scratch. You could be incredibly-" Before she could continue to speak, Madara dashed forward. She raised her arms to guard, just barely making it in time to avoid a direct hit.

The woman was pushed back by the impact, but remained standing. Not yet finished, Madara leapt above, before dropping as if his weight increased a thousand fold. Recognizing that she could not defend, the thief sidestepped as quickly as she could. There was a weird stinging sensation on her arm, but it was ignored. More importantly, she was able to distance herself from the point of impact, ascending into the sky before the ensuing cloud of dust could touch her skin. She watched speechlessly, gathering as much power as she could into her right hand as she watched carefully for any movement.

The cloud of dust particles was soon blown away by a powerful, artificial, gust, Madara stood at the center of a small crater, nonchalaunt and as expressionless as he always was. The black haired boy in maroon armor dusted himself off.

"Too much talk." Madara muttered to himself, looking up at the woman whose dress was partly torn. "But I suppose it is wrong to expect anything from a weakling."

"How dare you…" She said, glaring at him angrily. She raised an arm, creating a four meter wide fireball above her head and preparing to throw it. However, before she could, the sphere vanished as her feet suddenly turned black. The dark pigmentation expanded, slowly rising to her legs and abdomen. As parts of her bodies darkened to absolute darkness, they also began to deteriorate and evaporate much like the corpse of a grimm.

Assuming that this was intentional, Madara poured chakra into his legs to enhance their strength. He jumped high into the air, reaching an altitude just above the fading thief and catching her off guard once more. He put his hands together and superheated a large amount of chakra, more than what was required for his standard fireballs.

"Katon: Gōka Messhitsu." he called out, spewing out a stream of fire towards her. Unlike his previous fire-based jutsu, which tended to take spherical shape, what he used could only be described as a flamethrower. The woman was swallowed in a continuous stream of fire, fire stronger than anything she had ever seen or used. Her aura fell apart in only a couple of seconds.

There was a short scream coming from the blaze, but was cut short unusually. As Madara returned to ground level and the fire dispersed, the woman was gone. There was no trace or body meaning that she, unfortunately, managed to complete whatever the black corrosion was. After a quick pan, the two that he had defeated had also vanished while he was focused on the thief.

" _Mission complete._ " Madara said to himself as footsteps came from behind him.

"How did… they escape?" Amber asked, looking expectantly at Madara. It wasn't like he had just allowed them to, he _did_ try to seemingly incinerate one of them. If that were successful, she would have reclaimed the missing half of her powers, but that wasn't their assigned objective.

"Teleportation." Madara replied simply. He didn't actually know for sure, it wasn't like anything he had scene before. However, what he _did_ know was that chakra was being used. Even without his sharingan, he was a master with his sensory skills. It was chakra, but different. It was _dark_ so to speak.

"I can't sense her anymore." Amber commented, exhaustion and frustration intertwined in her voice and her tired expression.

"No need." Madara replied before taking out his scroll. He opened his contacts and put the device to his ear. "We're finished here." he spoke into the scroll, likely to either Ozpin or their transport pilot.

"What do you mean 'no need'? We just lost track of them and have no way to-" Amber closed her jaw shut, her eyes opening wide as she came to the realization. He hadn't said that they had completed their mission. He only said that there was nothing more for them to do in the outskirts. If he believed that Amber not being able to track their target, then he must've also believed that they would encounter each other again. That would be either by chance, or the Uchiha had done something she hadn't seen.

"Tracking tag." He answered. That was why he hit the ground instead of the thief. He wasn't aiming for her specifically, but to create a cloud and obscure her vision. While she was blinded, he must have attached some kind of device on her without her noticing. Although the same problem remained; if this other tracking method didn't work, they would be without a lead. If nothing else, his lack of apparent worry put her at relative ease. All that the two could do now was wait for the transport ship and return.

* * *

 **Patch Forest**

* * *

"One last time, I can do this." Weiss whispered to herself, catching her breath as she supported herself on her sword. She took out her scroll, letting out a sigh of relief to see that her aura meter was in the yellow zone. It wasn't what she would have preferred, but it meant that she could still practice. However, it wasn't her aura alone that she needed to think about. Regarding stamina, the heiress was weak in comparison to her teammates. Even Ruby could outlast her if

For the past half hour she had been working non-stop, focusing solely on becoming more proficient with summoning. She had a general grasp of how to summon, and made significant progress in a very short amount of time, but it was all too clear to her that she needed to reach a level far from where she currently was. She _needed_ to, for more than just a personal milestone, for more than just a personal obligation.

"Alright, from the top." she said to herself, straightening her back with a confident look on her face.

She closed her eyes and breathed steadily. She couldn't do anything if her thoughts held her back. If her doubts and inhibitions remained, she would never grow or reach the next level. To that end, she had many levels to go before she would be satisfied. She was going to reach those levels, for herself and for what was soon to come.

The white glyph appeared before her, spinning at a steady speed. It was slower than the glyphs she created before, but far more effective. Unlike the matrices that would spin like helicopter blades, the steadier glyphs seemed to have a much higher rate of success, especially for her summons and elementals.

The ground vibrated lightly, faintly, as aura was fed into the glyph. In due time a glowing white hand rose from the ground, reaching out and pressing down on the outlying dirt. A second hand emerged, placing itself a short distance across from the first. Slowly the arms that the hands were connected to, as well as a head-like protrusion, rose from the glyph.

Before long an entire humanoid shape appeared, using the glyph as a platform. Color excluded, it appeared to a human, albeit heavily injured and disfigured. One of its arms was completely missing from the elbow; dark smudges covering their white body in random patterns. Some sections were light blue, but were much more uncommon. The legs appeared malnourished, almost inhuman with how thin they were. It seemed impossible that it was capable of standing upright with how brittle the legs looked. For any average person, it would have been unrecognizable. However, its long ponytail and the rapier attached to its waist was a clear indication that it was indeed a replication of its creator. It stared at Weiss with a blank expression, like it was just a lifeless statue; a sculpture.

" _Huh?_ " Weiss asked herself, frowning confusedly at her creation. She hadn't planned to create herself, but it just happened. She had planned to create a beowolf, or an ursa, something she had slain countless of before. Suddenly she remembered something her sister, Winter, had told her about the mechanics of summoning. It was so simple as an ability to summon the creatures she had killed.

"The beings you bring forth are the foes you have defeated, the foes that pushed you to overcome your limits." she remembered her sister explain to her. The ice-Weiss was her, but an echo from the past. It was the Weiss she used to be, or at least, part of it. Perhaps there was a deeper reason for why it was so… incomplete.

" _Well, I guess it's something_ " she remarked, smiling weakly at her product. " _Still though, It needs a lot of work. I wonder if I can get my summons to do things like I can. If I give them enough of my aura, and if a copy of me can think like me..._ " She grinned excitedly, nearly shaking in place over the possibilities. One last time, the heiress checked her scroll, and frowned disappointedly to see that her meter was just barely yellow. Anything more and it would fall into the red.

Suddenly, the window switched to another as the scroll began to vibrate. There was a silhouetted picture with the word "Father" written above. Without hesitation, Weiss cancelled the call,

"Well, that'll all have to wait till tomorrow." She murmured in a dejected tone. She sighed lightly, turning and walking towards her temporary home.

* * *

 **Elsewhere**

* * *

"Y-it's you…" A police officer muttered, gritting his teeth as he stared at a trio. The leader of which was the infamous criminal Roman Torchwick. He pulled out his gun and aimed it at the man, not wanting to take any risks. Unfortunately for him, Penny was quicker, and managed to disarm the officer before he could take the shot. Using her superior strength, she forced the weapon out of his hand and pinned him to the ground.

Roman smirked triumphantly, walking towards the two and picking up the gun. "Nicely done there, Penny. Now, if you would kindly do the honors of finishing the job, we can get out of here." he said, offering the pistol to the girl.

Penny stared at the weapon motionlessly. She couldn't quite process what he was asking her to do. Take a life? A human life? She couldn't do something like that, it was practically hardwired into her that taking life was forbidden to her. She shook her head at Roman, who shrugged disappointedly.

"Alright then. Neo?" he called out, looking behind him to see that the girl was already gone.

There was a sharp piercing sound, as well as a short gasp, behind Penny. She snapped around to see a thin metal object sticking out of the mang's back. Blood began to leak out of the wound, covering the blade that embedded itself. The heterochromic accomplice pulled the blade, long enough that it certainly penetrated through his heart, out of the body and wiped the blood off before retracting it into her umbrella. She smiled, holding her hand out to Penny and hoisting her onto her feet. She had a shocked expression on her face. This girl was like her, yet she didn't hesitate to murder. She turned towards Roman with a inquisitive look.

"New territory right?" Roman asked Penny, pocketing the gun, staring as if he expected her hesitation. "Well, that's just how things are. What we do isn't pretty but it's also necessary. If we let the guy live, it'd be problematic for us. He knew we were here, and with you. If someone or some people recognized his description of you, people we absolutely _don't_ want to run into, we'd be in a tight spot." he explained before taking out and lighting a cigarette. "I'm a law breaker, but unlike the higher-ups in society, I understand the value in people. Let's get out of here."

The man turned his back to Penny and began walking off, without a word or order for the two to follow. Despite this, Neo had done so of her own accord. Following this example, Penny decided to do the same. After all, there weren't many who allowed her to act freely.

 **END**


	32. Chapter 32

Chapter 32

Common logic seems to dictate that the paths of like-minded individuals align. It is only a matter of time that they join together. No matter the age, no matter the world, living creatures treasure unity, be it unity of numbers or personal qualities. However, it seems this tendency can be attributed to even those that can't be considered living.

* * *

 **? Domain**

* * *

In a secret place, hidden from the rest of the world where the sun does not touch, the fractured moon hangs eternal. The rugged terrain, dyed a deep crimson red, was infested with opaque purple crystals. Countless small pools littered the ground, filled with viscous black liquids. From the puddles, the black skinned adversaries of humanity sprung forth. Beowolves, Ursai, Creeps, and countless other species emerged from these pits, showing no traces of white armoring.

Somewhere within this land of death, this barren existence where life shouldn't be possible, was a castle-like structure. Considering the concentration of Grimm within this area, a manmade structure should have been impossible. It wouldn't have been able to even begin construction. That is, unless it wasn't manmade.

Within a chamber far below the blood-stained surface, directly underneath this impossible castle, was a woman of sorts. She was dressed in a long black dress. Her skin was pure white, hair held in multiple braids. Her sclera were as black as the Grimm themselves, with ruby red pupils. She sat in a throne, propping her head up with one hand..

Across from her, sitting in the darkness was a creature of an indistinguishable shape. it s body slithered and writhed across the stone floor, the shadows concealing its colors.

"Such a pitiful display. Your brat and her aids have failed miserably. Now, they return." it spoke directly into the woman's mind. It had no face, let alone a mouth, and spoke telepathically.

"They have indeed failed, and quite unfortunately so. Were she to have even a minute more, she would have prevailed… no matter. There will always be another chance." she shrugged off the lament. Curiously, she eyed the creature. "It was an unexpected encounter to begin with. The next operation will make up for that."

"Negativity. It is our kind incarnate. Anger, fear, pain, loss, it gives us strength without limit. This world is at our mercy." it cackled arrogantly, before returning to its serious tone. "However, there are forces at play other than I. The pawns have found new powers, power they should never have. These will be your undoing if they are underestimated."

"Ozpin's students aren't of any concern regardless of what they can. There is only one that should be focused on. That said, will you be able to defeat this boy?" She asked, holding up a small mirror. The reflection of the mirror flashed and changed, forming a moving picture of Madara as if it was a video.

The beast growled discontentedly, as if it bitterly recognized him. "The Beast of beasts; The Strongest. Against him, no army can surmount. However… he will not bring the likes of me down. He has doven too far deep, and this world is the perfect battlefield. My victory is all but guaranteed." it declared, slowly slithering out of its shadows towards the woman.

"In time." she said, using a single glare at the creature to force it into a docile state. "For now, we continue with the objective. Ozpin _will_ fall, and with him, the four kingdoms. My goal will be achieved, so long as you deal with that boy."

"Your kin fuels me perfectly. A fragment will be enough to gauge." It declared, grunting abruptly.

The sound of bubbling and rippling echoed within the small chamber. The creature ahead of the woman fluctuated and bubbled. There was a horrific snapping sound, before a white mask poked out of the shadow. It was not alone, as a second mask appeared beside it. The two masks sank back into the dark, one making its way out of the room.

"Your physiology is intriguing. Regeneration at such a speed is quite a desirable trait." She said, letting a short smile surface on her face.

"You are no less interesting. So much power within you, yet so much restraint." it remarked calmly, circling around the edges of the room until it came behind her.

"My objective is not something trivial like power. That is where we are different. While you may have been able to entice young Cinder, the same will not apply for me. You would do wise to keep that in mind." She replied, not turning her head or eyes to look at her companion. She clenched one hand into a fist, making the atmosphere within the chamber feel suffocating. The creature hadn't reacted, but grumbled.

"You require power, more than you have now, to achieve your goal. I can grant you that power, but you will refuse every time in the future just as you have thus far, as our goals do not align… So be it." it said with a growl, leaving the chamber just as its doppelganger had and leaving the woman to herself.

* * *

 **Beacon Academy Harbor**

* * *

The return to Beacon was, for all intents and purposes, smooth. Most suspected that after the incident, the school would have quadrupled down on armed security. They expected far more guards, more authentication requirements for entry into certain areas, anything really. Yet almost as if in spite of those expectations, the school was unchanged. After repairs had been finished the students realized that, aside from a few renovations, the school facilities were almost the exact same. Although, there _was_ one slight addition to the school. It may have been the reason for the apparent lack of new safety measures. To be accurate, it was _above_ the school.

The Great Fleet of Atlas was not one massive body of airborne battleships and carriers. While yes, several hundreds of nearly any kind of ship did indeed compose the fleet, they were actually divided into dozens of "clusters". One of these such clusters happened to station itself within Vale. more specifically, above its Huntsmen academy.

"Well, that isn't unnerving in the least." Yang remarked, smiling awkwardly at the rest of her team. "The smaller ships I can understand, but two gigantic ones feel really overkill."

"Dreadnoughts _do_ tend to stick out like a sore thumb." Weiss concurred, looking uneasily. " _What are they even here fore? Surely they can't be just for security. That would be a total waste of resources. Such large ships aren't good for anything except a full scale war. If the goal is to scare away people looking for trouble, a flock of carriers full of Atlesian Knights would be more intimidating with their mobility. Something's not right._ " She thought, resting her chin in her hand as she stared respectively at the war machines.

"Well, whatever they are here for, I'm sure things'll be alright, right Blake?" Ruby smiled, turning to the bow-wearing girl. She didn't respond, only looking away awkwardly. Fitting, as the atmosphere around team RWBY changed to reflect her mood. Unbeknownst to Weiss, was that a secret was shared between the other three members of their team. Ruby and Yang had yet to relay the news, out of respect for Blake, much to her relief. The fact that she continued to wear the bow was proof that she didn't want anyone to discover the truth that laid beneath.

"Anyways, we should get to our dorm room. We have things we need to unpack and get organized." Weiss said, glancing back unpleasantly at the suitcases they each dragged behind them.

"Wait, Weiss, why didn't you just call a bellhop or something to take your stuff to our room? Wasn't that what you did at the start of the year?" Yang cocked a curious eyebrow.

"Well… I guess you could say it's a sign of growth." She replied, forcing her lips into a smile. She wasn't lying, but she wasn't telling the entire truth. There was something, rather someone, she wished to distance herself from as much as she could. Yang giggled audibly, prompting the heiress' face to become slightly flustered. Her response caused Yang to laugh harder, almost as if to spite her teammate, but she restrained herself.

"Weiss is right. We should get our stuff in our room. I wonder if they made them any bigger. Our last room was pretty cramped." Ruby declared, tugging her luggage forward. Her team followed behind as she walked, which was unusually difficult. She was quick when she walked or ran anywhere even without her semblance, and the three had grown accustomed. Now, it was like Ruby's casual stroll was even faster than before. More surprising was that she hadn't acknowledged it.

"I never occurred to me before, but couldn't Ruby's speed be used for cleaning as well as fighting?" Weiss whispered to Yang, glancing back and forth between the siblings.

"Yeah, but it doesn't go as well as you'd expect, I convinced her to help me with my room a few days ago, and then immediately remembered why I haven't asked in over a year. Turns out, small whirlwinds throw things around a lot." Yang chuckled sarcastically with a self deprecating smile. The mess that was made as a result of trying to clean up using Ruby as a shortcut was far worse than it should've been.

"Wait, don't you and Ruby have those paper scrolls that Madara gave? I know that Ruby has one for her weapon." Weiss asked curiously. Sure, Yang was much stronger than Ruby and therefore, she had no issue with constantly wearing her gauntlets. In fact, they may have actually been beneficial in a weight-training sense. Even so, there must have been times where they became cumbersome, uncomfortable to wear.

"Oh, I don't have one. Ruby, Qrow, and our dad are the only ones who have them." Yang replied, proudly raising her golden bracelets. "Plus, wearing these more is kind of like training. I can hit harder, punch faster, and control myself even better. I wonder how good I could fight without them.,," she trailed off, looking away towards nothing.

" _Hm, so it's not even family exclusive._ " She mused, nodding bittersweetly. It would be extremely convenient to have a scroll like these, but the chances were next to absolute zero. Perhaps she could do some research using Ruby's?

She didn't have the chance to focus on the subject any longer, as a familiar team of first year students began to approach. Joining team RWBY was none other than team JNPR. Pyrrha, Nora, and Ren looked the same, save for the boy's hair growing slightly longer in the intervening time. , surprisingly enough, the one whose appearance had been altered the most since they had last seen one another. His usual armament of a small white breastplate and two shoulderplates were gone. Even his sword and shield, which he made sure were always had on hand, were gone. Where did all of it go?

"Hey guys!" Ruby exclaimed, running happily to the four.

"Heheheh! well well, if it isn't our lifelong rivals!" Nora declared proudly, smirking mischievously.

"Huh?" Yang cocked a confused eyebrow to the nickname their team was given.

"Please ignore her." Ren sighed, putting a calm hand on his partner's shoulder. Though, Nora probably wasn't too far off the mark with her statement.

Their teams did seem to be rather similar. Ren and Blake both were quiet in nature and had _cat_ -like agility. Yang and Nora were inhuman in terms of physical strength, mixed with their energetic personalities. A stretch could have been made between the recognition Weiss inherited via her family name, and Pyrrha's Mistralian fame stemming from her title. Those similarities ended at the teams' leaders.

Jaune and Ruby were considerably different from one another. Ruby's ability to formulate a strategy came from her experience in killing Grimm. Her weapon was designed specifically for that purpose. She isn't proficient at adapting to new situations, and as a result against another person, her chances of victory were often worrisome. Jaune on the other hand was a hands-on analyst, using whatever he had at his disposal without any prior knowledge to back him up. His weapon _was_ from the old war, a war between humans and humans. Even their motivations for enrolling were different. Ruby strived to become a huntress, but more so a hero, like those that she had read in books. Jaune walked the path in order to uphold his family's legacy, or at least, he _had_.

"So how've you all been? It's been a couple of weeks." Ruby asked, periodically glancing at Jaune with a curious look.

"During the break, Pyrrha helped me look for someone who could fix my sword. We found some people, but instead of fixing it we changed it completely. I guess you could say it's brand new. But I don't want to show it to anyone just yet. I'm still getting used to the adjustments." He smiled proudly.

"Really, how about we have a little duel then, see how good you are now?" Yang challenged, smirking as she clenched her fists together. Jaune flinched timidly, resulting in the laughter of his seven colleagues. He wasn't exactly fond of the situation. In the midst, he noticed the lack thereof a certain boy.

"Hey, where's your brother?" He asked Ruby and Yang, looking around their group cluelessly.

"Oh, he went off somewhere when we landed. I'm sure he'll be somewhere nearby." Yang replied without a hint of concern.

As the group continued to talk, Weiss was the only one to notice what was to come. Overhead flew a large white ship. On the sides was the well-known symbol of the SDC, which turned Weiss' face pale.

"Well, while this is nice and all, I think I'll be heading inside first." Weiss announced to the group, still staring at the ship with a morbid look as she put a pause to their reunion.

"Uh, alright then. Is something wrong?" Ruby asked concerned. She hadn't ever seen Weiss like this before.

"I'm fine," She said quickly, taking hold of her suitcase before speed walking school. A few seconds of silence passed, as the — now seven — students stared confusedly. Having not noticed the ship, they had no idea what she was in a hurry for.

"Well, we should probably get going too." Ruby suggested awkwardly, her friends nodding in agreement.

* * *

 **Principal's Office**

* * *

As the man always had, Oz[om sat in his chair, arms forming an arch to support his chin. He looked ahead with a stern look on his face. Standing in front of the headmaster was a man wearing white. His arms were held behind his back respectively, but had the same look on his face. The two weren't alone within the office. Glynda wasn't present at the moment, busy greeting the returning students. Instead her place was being held by Qrow, who was half-way into his alcohol canteen before the morning could end.

"While I would like to say that it is good to see you again, James, the fleet outside of my office is a little _off putting_." Ozpin remarked, frustration hidden behind his calm visage.

"Which is Oz for 'What were you thinking?'." Qrow added, his arms crossed expectantly.

Ironwood sighed, but a firm gaze remained on his face. "I am fully aware that it wasn't discussed nor agreed upon. However, I can assure you that this _is_ necessary." the General stepped closer to Ozpin's desk, putting his scroll face-up on the table. The device flashed blue, as images jumped from the small screen. Floating in the air for all three men to see was now the image of the Eight Tailed Beast. It was one that neither Qrow nor Ozpin had seen before, and being the more emotional of the two thanks to alcohol, Qrow was in disbelief. His eyes shot open with confusion, almost reaching for a paper scroll in his pocket.

"What the hell is that thing?" Qrow demanded, glaring at the general with a look of half anger and half fear..

"A bigger danger than the Creatures of Grimm themselves. For now, this one is sedated, but I don't know where it came from, or how long I can keep it this way. What I do know is that if it wakes up, countless lives will be lost. What is most important is that there are others like it, and they need to be found before they awaken. I have already deployed hundreds of scout teams around the world to look far and wide." Ironwood explained as the picture switched to a world map. He stared at the image, somehow triggering several dozens of dots to appear all over the map.

"And then what, put leashes on them and make them into your own weapons?" Qrow challenged, glaring daggers at the Headmaster.

"Even I know my limits, Qrow. I only hope that no one is foolish enough to have made the attempt yet." Ironwood responded sincerely, calmly looking directly into the huntsman's eyes before turning back and retrieving his scroll. "Nevertheless, this is what must be done in order to ensure the safety of humanity. You needn't worry about the possibility of tension rising that would result in an increase of Grimm activity. Seeing these ships, and the newest line of Atlesian Knights, I'm confident that the people's trust will be ensured."

There was a sudden pause, as the men took their time to form their responses. Ozpin lowered his hands onto the table, exhaling heavily as if to relieve weight off of himself. "What's done is done. The enemy is sure to have noticed your move. From hereon, we must act quickly and more cautiously," He spoke calmly, his stoic expression unchanged despite the news. "James, I would like to ask you, where or from whom did you learn of this creature? In my time, I have never encountered such a monster like that before."

"I apologize, but I cannot tell you. I can assure you, however, that they are trustworthy." Ironwood answered. Qrow groaned irritably, but understood the futility in complaining any further.

"I see. Very well then. We can discuss this at another time, with all parties present." Ozpin muttered, blinking acceptingly. "Now that that is out of the way, I'd like to ask about one last thing." he said, spinning his chair to face window that was behind him.

"What is it?" Ironwood asked, raising an eyebrow confusedly.

"It seems that we have another guest arriving today, one that we hadn't been expecting. Do you know about this?" He asked as a personal transport ship came within view. On the side, was the symbol of the Schnee Dust Company.

Qrow and Ironwood came closer to Ozpin. Together, the three men watched as the ship came to a stop at the harbor. Out walked a small group of people, but most importantly was a single individual. He was dressed in an almost purely white suit. All his hair, from his moustache to his combed back hair, was a dull white. His head pivoted from side to side, as if looking for something or someone.

For one reason or another, in the span of the next three seconds, the remaining half of the alcohol in Qrow's canteen seemingly vanished without a trace.

 **END**


	33. Chapter 33

**fhchshEinzbern- Because unlike Emerald, the "illusions" Neo creates are actually physically there. it's not so much a hallucination, it's an optical illusion. something is there that looks like something else. As far as how it works in this story…**

Chapter 33

"You gotta be kidding me." Qrow groaned, scorning at what had arrived at their proverbial doorstep.

"Jacques… what is he doing here?" Ironwood muttered to himself, placing his chin upon his gloved hand.

"Other than be a pain in the ass?" Qrow quipped, still with a long grimace on his face. The stern looks from the two headmasters did nothing to phase the man. "Hey, don't look at me, you both know I'm right. Anything with him is just annoying or a waste of time. If it were up to me I'd keep at least twenty meters and a soundproof wall between us at all times." he groaned, half-frowning as he made his declaration.

"I understand your frustration but, like it or not, he is here." Ironwood replied, dropping his arms and turning towards the elevator door. "Complaining will get us nowhere. Instead, we should find out _why_."As he crossed the table, Ozpin turned in his swivel chair, looking directly at his colleague as if he was about to say something, but remained silent until the elevator doors closed between them.

"You know what that jackass came here for, don't you?" Qrow asked, raising an eyebrow to Beacon's Headmaster

"Not quite. However I do have my presumptions." Ozpin replied calmly. "When someone like the president of the Schnee Dust Company arrives at a Huntsman Academy, it is most likely that they are in search of something. Considering that he had docked at the student-transportation ports, he isn't here for a conference with me. Perhaps he has come for someone in specific." Ozpin suggested, lowering his shoulders indifferently.

The huntsman paused for a moment, thinking to who he could have come for. Judging from Ironwood's and Ozpin's reactions, they never scheduled a meeting with him. There weren't any particularly wealthy individuals within Beacon otherwise… except for maybe one. He flinched as he realized who the company president could have arrived for, but his surprise didn't last. Alcohol steadied his nerves rather quickly—it seemed to be effective for such situations.

"Regardless, there are things I must attend to," Ozpin said, taking out his scroll and taking out a small stack of papers. "Unless you would like to join me."

"Yeah, no thanks," Qrow replied almost immediately, quickly following in the footsteps of the general, walking towards the elevator door. "I got a niece with some kind of eye infection and an in-law to check with."

Ozpin chuckled, a rare occurence to even Qrow, but the drunk didn't react. Once the doors opened, he passed through and into the chamber. With a silent wave, the doors closed and separated the men. Left alone, Ozpin leaned back in his chair with a tired look. Despite how early in the day it was, he looked as if he had been awake and active for days without a moment's rest.

"You are coming, aren't you?" he said as his head faced the ceiling. "Then by all means. You will not prevail, I will accomplish what I failed to do all those years ago." he said, letting a short smile form from his mouth.

* * *

 **Assembly Hall**

* * *

"Remember to stay vigilant and continue to focus on your training. Despite our recent return, the Vytal Festival is not far in the future. That is all, you are all dismissed," Glynda announced, finishing her student-return speech in front of hundreds of teenagers. Along with most of the students, she began to leave the room, and was soon no longer visible within the crowd.

"Y'know, I'm surprised Professor Ozpin didn't give the speech. He did when the year started didn't he?" Yang asked, putting her hands on her waist and tilting her head to the side. "Well, at least it felt like she actually tried. Ozpin's speech was way too monotone."

"Yes, but it could be that he's busy at the moment. He _is_ the headmaster after all." Weiss suggested, shrugging lightly before smiling.

"Yeah, that is true I guess… Oh hey, there's Madara!" Yang exclaimed, waving with a smile in the general direction of a door that was funnelling other students.

"Well, anyways, I'm glad we were able to put our stuff away before the assembly. It wouldn't be fun having all that stuff in this room too." Ruby sighed relieved her personal space expanded by the second. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the bow on Blake's head move ever so slightly. She was sure that only she noticed—enhanced perception seemed to be something her lavender and platinum eyes gave her.

Blake was periodically glancing behind her, hastening with every passing second. Looking in the same direction, Ruby saw a man headed in their direction. There was still some resistance, as not all students had exited the building, but he was gradually closing in. With his white suit, white hair, and blue eyes, he looked to be related to Weiss.

"Hey Weiss, who's that?" Ruby asked curiously, pointing the ice princess to the man who came closer. Weiss looked towards him and nearly jumped. Color rapidly drained from her skin as her jaw slid open. She looked terrified as he came within a distance of two meters. Ironically enough, the air seemed to freeze still in the presence of these two. Beneath his moustache was a condescending grin

Weiss's foot slid back slightly as she looked the man in the eye. "N-no way. It's not… What are you doing here?" Weiss nearly shouted, a fearful look on her face.

"Come now, my dear, is that really any way to greet your father after he's come so far just for you?" he asked, chuckling as he his arms rose playfully.

" _That's Weiss's dad?_ " The other three members of the team thought simultaneously. All things considered, the resemblance was uncanny. Not only their appearances were next to the same, but the atmosphere that followed him felt like that of a person in power, a person who always looked down their noses at others. It was like the feeling Weiss had given off during their early days.

"Okay, Father, what are you doing here so early?" Weiss asked, steadying her movements and levelling her head. "You weren't supposed to come until the next month."

"Well, to be frank with you, I decided that any longer was too much time wasted—I've already lost precious time as is. It would be in both of our best interests retrieve you now." He replied, still smiling at his daughter.

"E-excuse me?" Weiss recoiled, her fear flipping to confusion and irritation. "I'm sorry, but that was _not_ our agreement and you _know_ that. If you've forgotten, I have recorded our conversation in preparation for something like this." Weiss threatened, putting a hand over the pocket that held her scroll.

"Weiss, what's going on?" Ruby asked with a worried look for her partner.

"I'll explain in a minute, just let me finish this." Weiss replied, still scowling at her father.

Jacques's smile fell as he glared at his daughter, the two in a silent stalemate of looks alone. "I am well aware of our agreement, and never planned to break it per se. I think, however, that _you_ are the one who has forgotten. The agreement was that I would allow you to make your foolish decisions until the next seasonal vacation. I regard such an event, like the one that happened only a few weeks ago at this very school, as one of those breaks. Which means, your evaluation is to happen now." he replied, regaining his smirk.

"Evaluation? If that's all that you're looking for, we can get her report card." Ruby suggested, with an unsure look. However, she quickly retracted when she realized her mistake.

This was her father, he must've known her well enough to predict what kinds of grades she'd get. After all, he had to have enough faith in her intelligence to let her enroll in a school across the ocean. Whatever agreement they had, it allowed Weiss to attend classes at a combat school. Academic Grades weren't what he wanted to see. He planned to evaluate her combat abilities.

"I see your friend here has caught on." Jacques remarked, crossing his arms. "I only allowed your decision at first because it would benefit our family's reputation. To have a Schnee on the front lines defending humanity as well as supporting its commonwealth. Now, I want to determine if the money and dust that I have supplied you with for months has been used effectively. This venture has been, as they say, a risky investment."

"Hey, don't talk about her like she's some kind of property to make money off of!" Yang exclaimed, putting a distance of ten centimeters between her and the senior Schnee.

"Young lady, I would advise you to leave this conversation between my daughter and I." he responded, tensing his entire body. Yang's eyes gained a slight red hue, but the blonde grit her teeth and restrained herself. No matter how much she wanted to punch the man, it would only make things worse for everyone.

Weiss sighed, putting a hand on Yang's shoulder calmly. She relented, and backed away from both of the Schnees. " _Fine_. If the evaluation must be now then I'll prove myself again just like before. I'll face whatever grimm you have for me." She declared confidentially.

Jacques's eyes twitched with excitement, before letting out a hearty laugh as if told a joke. He quickly quieted himself, scanning the room for its remaining occupants. There weren't many left, maybe two dozen at most. Unfortunately his search lead him to a boy, watching silently from a distance. The long spiked black hair, an invisible yet heavy pressure that they exuded, the void behind their eyes. Locking eyes with this boy, Jacques muttered something incoherent under his breath.

"Yes, you there, yes come!" He called out, pointing to the raven black haired boy.

Unbeknownst to the business man, he was already headed in their direction before Jacques' beckoning.

Once he had arrived, Jacques nodded to himself triumphantly, as if he was certain of something. "Young man, how would you like to make a fortune? You need not do much, but I can assure you it will be worth your while. All I need is a bit of your time to teach my daughter a lesson. Being a student here, I'm sure you understand what that means."

* * *

 **Elsewhere**

* * *

"How did we get stuck with grunt work?" Roman whispered to himself.

The area around him was dark, forcing the criminal to use a flashlight. It wasn't that the day had become night, but the light could not reach his location. He was in Atlas—or it would be more accurate to say that he was _below_ Atlas. The underground sewage system was extremely unpleasant, unsurprisingly, but was convenient for him and his objective. Following behind him was Penny and Neo, the former of which was carrying a large unmarked duffle bag. Her superhuman strength proved incredibly useful.

" _Is this okay?_ " Penny asked herself. She glanced towards the man's white coat, but turned her head straight. " _No, it is fine,_ " she affirmed to herself with an expression of indifference.

"Alright, not much farther from here," Roman reminded himself, following a path marked on his scroll. Suddenly, the man stopped dead in his tracks.

Not far ahead of the three was some spherical object, levitating above the ground. Its round body was white with glowing lights around it. A large round light shined from what was assumably its front. It stopped at an intersection and turned towards them, the light just barely out of view.

Calmly, Roman stepped back, careful as to not make a sound that would alert the machine prematurely. "Neo, if you will," Roman whispered, glancing back at the android. She nodded and stepped forward.

Watching from behind the two, Penny wasn't quite sure what Neo had done, but was certain that something had happened through her actions. The drone's light still shined brightly, yet it remained stationary. Did she hack the drone's protocols?

Based on its design and Penny's scan of the machine, it was designed to patrol the area. Despite this, it hadn't moved in any direction except for bobbing vertically. The mounted spotlight shined as bright as ever, yet it didn't touch the ground as if being obstructed. It was still visible to the three.

Roman proceeded forward as if the security drone wasn't there. He was no more than fifty centimeters away yet no alarms or signals were emitted.

"Thanks," He said, smiling triumphantly as he continued onward. "Now, let's go. Only half a kilometer left."

The two passed by the machine in a similar manner.

Penny's face lit up with curiosity for what had just happened. She looked towards Neo, lamenting her current inability to speak. Fortunately, she had a second option of communication, one that would work only between the two of them.

The two were almost like siblings if not for their inorganic bodies, and had similar components. One that Neo luckily retained was her wireless communication array. In other words, telepathy.

"Error: _Requesting Information: Deliberate Malfunction?_ " Penny asked, tilting her head to the side. In acknowledgement of receiving the message, Neo looked towards her with a smile. Her walking slowed by half as if she was going to do something..

Subsequently, Penny too slowed her pace and allowed their distance from Roman to grow by the second. The ginger watched as both of her older sisterr's eyes flashed from chocolate brown and strawberry pink to a uniform vanilla.

It was as if the world around Penny started to melt, quite literally. The walls, the floor, the girl in front of her dissolved into nothing. A reasonable assumption would that Neo's semblance was illusion or hallucination-based. However, they were androids, not humans. Penny didn't have a human brain or eyes. It was nigh-impossible for her vision to glitch out like this.

Activating her sonar yielded unusual results. The soundwaves she emitted to ascertain her situation extended out less than half a meter before returning. The sound-based image depicted a large cylindrical encasement with her at the center. Despite this image, there was nothing in front of her.

She raised her hand and thrusted it forwards. There was an invisible resistance, but she forced her way through. The moment she did, things returned to normal. The illusionary world around her crumbled like glass. Neo had yet to reappear in front of her. That was because, when Penny turned around, she found the girl just behind her staring with a blank expression.

Noticing that Penny was no longer under her affects, Neo nodded before following after Roman. He was somewhat far but still within view, leaving Penny behind to finish her thoughts

" _I see… so that is how it functions. It's not a semblance, but advanced holographic imaging."_ Penny concluded, catching up to her caretakers. _"They are able to create fragile fields only visible from designated areas. As opposed to hallucinations, these are tangible._ " With a somber look, she peered down at her own hands, flaring her aura. _"Assuming I was designed with unique capabilities, why was I not informed?_ " She asked herself, her frown growing longer and her eyes sharpening.

In that moment, there was a burning feeling within the corners off her conscious. Was it anger? Surely not. Negative emotions like that would attract grimm so she wasn't programmed with the ability…

* * *

 **Assembly Hall**

* * *

"Huh?!" the four girls of team RWBY exclaimed in unison. They looked in abject shock at the two polar opposites.

Madara was a number of things—most of which were indescribable—but two of those things that he was _not_ were immediately trusting and money-hungry. He would never just accept a request unless he deemed it worthwhile. Unfortunately, it wouldn't have been. Cash was never large on his list of priorities.

That said, his response to Jacques's request was a simple "Yes".

"Good, it seems that at least one student here listens to reason," the Schnee scoffed proudly. "Well then, prepare for combat if you would be so kind," he said, gesturing with an open palm.

"Eight hours." The Uchiha added, causing Jacques to do a double take.

"I'm… I'm sorry, could you repeat that?" he asked the boy, raising a white eyebrow doubtfully.

"You heard him. He said he wanted to do it later. Unless _you're_ the one who can't listen?" Yang repeated, crossing her arms defensively.

"Yang's right. Besides, a true fight isn't just a thing you can do on the spot. It takes time for people to prepare." Ruby explained, standing besides her older sister.

Jacques glared at the sibling pair, squeezing his fists, and sighed heavily. "Very well then. Weiss, your evaluation will start in eight hours. That is all I am willing to expend. Location doesn't matter, either of you may choose where this battle will take place. Until then, enjoy your last day at Beacon." He declared, turning and quickly walking to the exit.

Unfortunately for team RWBY, before any of them could question the black haired boy on his decision, he too disappeared from sight. Unsurprisingly, Weiss was the most confused of the four.

"Why in the world would he agree to that? Does he even _know_ what me losing means?" Weiss asked Ruby and Yang, the two she knew had the most experience with Madara. The two shrugged uneasily, sharing worried glances with each other.

"Well, to be honest, we don't know what you losing means either. You said you'd tell us 'later' right?" Ruby asked with a hopeful look.

"R-right… I'm sorry." She apologized, lowering her voice.

"You see, I wasn't exactly _allowed_ to come to Beacon on good terms. Originally, my father wanted me to stay in Atlas and was _very_ adamant on it. However, I managed to get him to agree to a deal." She explained, lowering her head and putting her hands together. "First, I had to beat an opponent that he chose. After a lot of training tapes, self-taught practice, and a little help from my sister, I soundly defeated an Arma Gigas. But that was only half of our deal… you all heard about the other half just now. I'm sorry for not explaining this before."

" _This has to be some kind of recurring joke"_ Yang groaned to herself. _"At least I'm being told now I guess. Better than never._ " The fact that the truth was being unveiled was the single silver lining to this. More important than her own gripes was her team member. _"I don't like that I'm getting used to this."_

"Y'know, it's alright Weiss." Yang responded, giving the girl a strong pat on the back. "Right now, we gotta focus on you winning your next fight."

"Is that even possible?" Weiss responded with a self-deprecating frown. "I can't beat Madara. You of all people should know that."

"Don't worry. Ruby and I haven't just been watching without paying attention," Yang whispered, smirking playfully as she took Weiss's hand. "We have a lot of preparing to do, let's go girls."

 **END**


	34. Chapter 34

**Rawrking- sure, why not I write a story in which the conflict equates to "I went to pick up some bread, and brought back the head of the final boss". And, while I agree that I could've done the premise better, I have decided that if I choose to make changes, I'll redo the story entirely. For now the train's on the tracks and is on its way.**

Chapter 34

"With renovations and repairs having been completed, Beacon Academy is back on its feet. Students have returned and classes seem to be resuming right where they left off. Actions are being taken to ensure that another disaster will not happen again… In other news, there have been reports of an unknown creature appearing near the kingdom's south eastern border. Thus far, there have been three confirmed deaths since the first sighting of this creature. Eyewitnesses claim that it looked like a large serpent or leech-like organism with black skin. It is yet unconfirmed whether this is a new species of Grimm. Huntsmen and huntresses have already been dispatched to investigate the situation, but authorities warn any and all citizens in the area to stay indoors during the night until the investigation is over."

* * *

 **? Domain**

* * *

"How are you feeling now, young Cinder?" The woman clad in pure black asked, looking at her subordinate with a stoic expression. Cinder did not respond, only looking at her bandaged arms. "Your injuries will take longer to heal than expected. The damage was from an… _unusual_ source after all."

"I want another chance. I'll make them pay." Cinder muttered, clenching her teeth together and shaking hands into fists.

"In due time, you will have that chance. More importantly you focus on our objective, as it is the only way you will achieve your goal. You still remember that power you oh so crave, do you not?" She replied, waving a hand dismissively.

"O-of course, your Grace." Cinder replied, bowing her head respectively.

"Then we will continue as planned. Roman Torchwick and his compatriot have been of considerate use, made no more efficient with their new addition. In the meantime, you should rest and allow your body to heal." She commanded.

"I, I understand. Then I will, if that's what you ask… but before that, there is one question I'd like to ask." Cinder pleaded, her eyes all but begging. "What is the purpose of employing the girl with the silver eyes? Despite the legacy their bloodline carries?"

"Six is indeed a bearer of silver eyes, but that does not mean she is immediately a threat. Like you and your colleagues, she agreed to cooperate under personal conditions and is skilled enough to warrant an agreement. It would be foolish not to exploit opportunities when they make themselves apparent. I hope you remember that well. If there is nothing else, you are dismissed. There are things I must take care of." with that the calm visage of the woman, and her body alike, evaporated into thin air.

Cinder turned and walked, conjuring a blade of a molten material in her hand. " _It's not enough. Even with the full powers of the fall maiden, I won't have enough power. I need more, far more. I need his, the power to stand above all others like I rightfully should. I must find a way, and when I do, Everything will belong to me._ " She said to herself, smiling devilishly.

* * *

 **Beacon Northern Yard**

* * *

The sun was only partially visible, its lower half below the horizon, casting an orange hue to its side of the normally blue sky. The fractured moon had just barely made itself present from the opposite end of the world and stole the blue from its side, leaving nothing but the black space beyond. To look up was to see several colors coexisting, In this equinox, a duel was about to begin.

The two combatants stood on the opposite ends of a circular platform, approximately twenty five meters in diameter. Four spectators and one referee attended this occasion. Ruby, Yang, and Blake stood behind Weiss, armed only with her rapier. Jacques Schnee stood on the other side behind Madara, whose war fan was on his back. Between the two parties was Glynda, who was asked to oversee the match. Subsequently, she was also informed of the stakes that hinged on the outcome of this battle. In her hands, was a tablet that displayed their aura signatures, albeit Madara's indicator was modified for his _irregularities_.

"Well then, now we can finally finish up here and _all_ go home." Jacques commented, his arms crossed confidently. He looked towards his daughter with a condescending stare, as if her defeat had already been decided.

"Before we begin, allow me to reiterate the rules." Glynda announced, adjusting her glasses. "For the duration of this duel, both participants must remain within the boundaries of the arena. Failing to do so will result in a disqualification. Otherwise, the battle will last until one of the combatants either concedes, or their aura falls below the safety margin. Keep in mind that if I determine that the fight has concluded, regardless of the situation, I will end it. If there are no questions or objections, you may begin when ready."

"Mr. Uchiha, I trust that you will perform spectacularly?" Madara didn't respond to the male Schnee with words, only reaching for his Gunbai and taking it from its resting place. He planted its head into the ground in front of him, one hand still holding the handle. It was an invitation for Weiss to make the first move.

She knew the long range capabilities of this weapon, having witnessed it in use multiple times. However, like any other weapon, it wasn't infallible. The fan didn't use ammunition, but pure dust crystals instead. Generating as much force as the weapon did, warranted an equivalent recharge period.

" _If I'm careless and rush in without thinking, he could blast me with those wind crystals. Even if I managed to dodge the first attack and close in, that fan is way too tough to punch through with one hit. I need to keep my cards hidden until it's absolutely necessary. Can I even do this…? Of course. I have to do this. I have to win._ " she shook her head, clearing herself of concerns. The most important thing at the moment was this battle.

Ideas and strategies ran across her mind, more than ever before. Her eyes darted from his head to toes and back, pausing briefly on his obsidian black iris. " _They're not red, which either means he's trying to conserve his strength… or he doesn't think I'm worth the effort. Either way, holding back will be his mistake._ "

Weiss exhaled a cold breath before spawning a golden yellow glyph in her hand. She gripped the handle of her weapon tightly, as if trying to crush it. The glyph activated, increasing her physical speed several times. She kicked off the ground, sprinting towards Madara at full speed in a straight line. The unfortunate effects of tunnel vision seemed to inflict her, as her peripheral vision blurred completely. She could, and did, only focus on his hand that held the fan. She needed to jump out of the way the instant she saw it move, and not a moment later. Fortunately, her time dilation accelerated her reaction speed just as much.

A distance of eighteen meters became two in seconds, yet there was still no sign to diverge on her path. She slowed herself just slightly, and realized her mistake too late. In that moment, she had stepped on a marked tag she recognized too well. Unable to turn around or reverse her momentum, she angled her foot to the side and lunged. Her sudden change, coupled with the subsequent explosion, nearly threw her out of the boundaries. She gasped, her thoughts jostled, but caught her breath and turned around. Madara hadn't moved from his position, but had turned with his Gunbai to face her.

" _When did he place that there? Did he do that before the match started? No, he must have seen my eyes focused on his him instead of the surroundings. Fine then._ " she grit her teeth and glared, holding up her free hand in front of her. Three glyphs appeared in her hand. Each hovering over one another in her palm.

"Is just this the peak of your speed?" Madara asked, with a bored frown on his face as he looked at the girl in white. "

As if she hadn't heard him, or just didn't care, Weiss pointed her hand towards him and activated the three glyphs. The elementals, combined with gravity manipulation, hurled two large icicles towards Madara at extreme speed. However, with a flick of his wrist, the body of Madara's war fan rotated to intercept as if it was made of paper. The icicles collided against the fan and shattered, unable to leave so much as a scratch before shattering harmlessly.

Weiss growled in a low tone, seeing just how ineffective she was. " _As long as that fan is there, I won't be able to move him… I wonder if…_ " she thought, raising her hand once more. Another series of glyphs appeared in her hand just as they had before. Once more, a single icicle was expelled from the glyphs, colored just slightly more white than usual.

"Hm, _a similar yet different attack. No opponent of mine would be foolish enough to try the same thing twice._ " He thought, looking with interest at the projectile.

Madara raised the fan into the air, awaiting for the projectile to reach him. Once it came within a meter, he swung down, smashing the spike into the ground. Just as he suspected, it did not simply shatter like the previous volley. The splattered ice acted as a sheet, and clung to the side of his fan as if it had formed there over years. More importantly was that the ice was also connected to the ground, and froze the fan to the platform. Madara blinked at the phenomena that he hadn't seen before.

" _Yes! I can't believe that worked perfectly!_ " Weiss thought excitedly. However, with a single pull, the tethering ice was broken. Madara's indifferent expression was still unchanged, still uninterested.

She smiled wryly, unsurprised by what she had just witnessed. _I already knew that wouldn't last long enough, but even so… that's not important, this is really good though! I can manipulate the properties of the elements using other glyphs in conjunction with one another. The fact that he still hasn't moved an inch bothers me though. He's not taking any of this seriously, so why did he agree to this?_ "

Suddenly, Weiss was blindsided and hit by a large column of compressed air. Despite weakly guarding with what little time she had, she was sent flying back and to the shock of the audience, out of bounds. However, while still in the air and a conscious only half functional from fear, Weiss positioned a black glyph beneath her feet. The glyph activated and acted as a springboard, throwing her back into safe boundaries. She landed hard, on both hands and knees. Madara's sharp eyes twitched slightly, the grip on his gunbai becoming tighter than it had had been for the entire fight. Ironically, he was still holding it rather loosely.

"Ms. Goodwitch, surely you saw that she was ringed out. Isn't that grounds for disqualifying her?" Jacques exclaimed, scorning the stunt he had just witnessed.

"Ms. Schnee has not made contact with the outlying area, and therefore has not broken any of the rules. As such, the duel will proceed." Glynda replied sternly, keeping the man out of her field of view purposefully. The man growled unsatisfied, but her say was final. He had no choice but to accept.

"Mr. Uchiha, if you would kindly hurry up and end this farce, we could all go home faster as well." Jacques called out, glaring at his horse in the race. His words fell on deaf ears, which only enraged him more. Nobody in the right mind would ignore someone of his status. " _What is he thinking? Is this just a game for him?_ " the man asked himself, malice written on his frustrated expression and clenched fists.

"C'mon Weiss! Don't forget about that thing you can do!" Ruby exclaimed, doing her best to cheer her partner on.

"I… yeah, thanks." Weiss muttered, returning to her feet and her opponent.

" _How insulting for someone to think I am not worthy of their best._ " Madara scoffed, glaring frustratedly at Weiss. "You've managed to save yourself, for that I commend you, but that is far from enough. If the time you've spent training to become a huntress isn't even enough to move your opponent, then you are only wasting your time by being here any longer. Perhaps going back with your father would be for the best." Madara declared with a straight face.

Weiss winced at his serious remark. She knew that she wouldn't be able to win in a fair fight, not as she was at present time. She thought it right to play cautiously, refrain from using her full arsenal until she was completely aware of the enemy's. Of course something like that wouldn't work, not against someone with a range of abilities as vast as his. It wasn't just the amount of things he could do either, but also how well he could each every one of them. It was impossible for her, anyone, to outlast Madara.

" _No more holding back… I won't lose without giving it my all._ " Weiss decided, inhaling sharply. "I'll show you just how much this time has meant then. Here's my everything." The girl in white said, her lips curving into a smile. Calculating how much aura she had left, and accounting for as many variables as she could, the future huntress decided that she had one chance. She wasn't going to get a do-over, but that was fine.

"So be it." Madara whispered to himself. From an objective standpoint, It was not an intelligent decision, but the Uchiha decided that he would wait.

Weiss deployed another time dilation glyph, increasing her speed as much as possible without reducing her field of view. She created another glyph behind her, throwing her forward towards her enemy. It looked like what she had done before, save for the second glyph, meaning all Madara would have to do is place another tag or evade and counter. However, her trajectory was just slightly off. Chances were that if he didn't move at all, and she didn't change course, she might just run right past him. Of course, that wasn't going to happen.

With the press of a button, another blast of wind came towards Weiss, but she was prepared. She raised a hand in front of her, launching a ball of deep red flames towards the wind column. The two elements collided, resulting in a dangerous chain reaction. The fire was small at first, but ate away the compressed air almost instantly. The result was a massive explosion, preventing another close call for Weiss. The fire remained briefly, but instead of waiting for the fire and smoke to disappear like common sense would dictate, she closed her eyes and ran in headfirst.

The fire peeled away her already diminished cloak of aura, leaving her with thirty percent remaining at most. It was an acceptable loss she had considered. With her eyes closed and past the smoke she thrusted her sword forward. There was a thud sound, prompting her to open her eyes. The gunbai, held by one hand, intercepted her blade as she came face to face with Madara.

" _Sacrificing defense for an opening, not a bad move considering the circumstances. Still far from enough though. You're still weak._ " the Uchiha thought. Yet in spite of his analysis, he noticed that her smile was wider than earlier, causing him to raise his attention, "Hm?"

Suddenly, he heard the sound of a glyph manifesting and activating, followed by an electrical crackling noise. What followed left the audience speechless, only able to watch in abject shock as the rapier's entire blade glew a bright white and blue. Even Madara was caught off guard, watching the blade appear on his side of the fan.

" _I see. So this is the fruit of your labor. This is enough._ " Madara thought with a surprised smile. The blade was acting in the same way that the blade of Ruby's scythe did. It deserved his reaction, as Crescent Rose was only able to thanks to the modifications that Madara himself had made. Ruby certainly didn't remove the chakra-infused metal from her beloved weapon, meaning Weiss was replicating these effects completely on her own. It was impressive, in context of course.

Praise would be more appropriate at a later time. More importantly, was that the blade was getting closer and closer. The most pressing question was how to end this ordeal. To lose against Weiss would stain his name and his spotless win/loss record, which was matched only by Pyrrha's. It was, actually an enigma how the two were never paired in a sparring match during class. Perhaps it was to perpetuate as many rumors and speculations as possible… More importantly, to win against her would force her to leave Beacon Academy, and destroy the potential future she had. In this single moment he weighed his options, and decided which was more important.

Weiss immediately noticed when Madara moved, but wasn't fast enough in body. Before she could retreat or evade, a quick hand grabbed her arm and pulled. She was thrown off balance, before being impacted by a kick to the stomach. Her aura dropped considerably but had yet to break completely. At most, she had seventeen percent remaining, just barely within the safe margin.

"Finally! Now, end this farce!" Jacques exclaimed gleefully, ignoring the glares of Ruby, Yang, and Blake alike.

Madara slowly walked towards his downed opponent, collapsing the damaged fan and holstering it. His eyes were tracked on Weiss, who was attempting to stand on her feet. To everyone's surprise, instead of stopping at her, he walked past her and towards the edge.

"It's almost laughable, how vast improvement can seem meaningless in another's eyes, but I _will_ acknowledge it." Madara whispered, reaching the lip of the elevated platform. Before anyone could even question what his goal was, his feet touched the ground below. "We're done here." he said, turning and vanishing into thin air.

"H-hold on just a minute! He cannot just do something like that. There must be a rule that prohibits such foolishness!" Jacques demanded, trotting to his race horse.

"Actually, Mr. Schnee, there is no rule against a competitor forfeiting themselves." Glynda corrected, fixing her glasses sharply.

"But that's just ridiculous, he had won!" The white haired man pleaded, pointing to his daughter.

"No, she did not. Because her aura remained within an acceptable range, and had not been defeated nor conceded, she has claimed official victory. The winner of this duel is Weiss Schnee. I trust that there are no more objections?" She asked, raising an interrogative brow.

Jacques fists were clenched tight, like he was about to punch the huntress, but refrained from doing so. He sighed harshly, frustrated and defeated. It was his loss, plain and simple. He glared at Weiss, who ignored his stare.

" _Damn that Madara Uchiha… tricked me into playing his own little game. Well, we will see who is the one enjoying themselves the next time we meet. This is far from over._ " He thought, taking out his scroll and calling for a transport ship. In mere seconds, he was out of both sight and mind of all of team RWBY.

Ruby and Yang moved to congratulate, more so comfort, Weiss who was fresh from her battle. Blake as, came to Weiss' side, but did so hesitantly.

"Are you alright, Weiss? I got you." Ruby asked, supporting her exhausted partner.

"Well, Weiss, that was a pretty good fight, I mean y'know, except for getting your butt kicked most of the time." Yang chuckled playfully. "Although, seeing you do what I couldn't ever and break his fan kinda puts a weird feeling in my stomach."

"How about we go eat?" Blake asked uneasily, gaining three shocked stares. "What? Bad idea?"

"N-no, it's just that you've never suggested something like that… or anything really." Yang replied, smiling awkwardly. "But it's a good thing, food sounds like a good idea after all of this."

"Oh! I know the perfect place!" Ruby exclaimed excited, her heterochromic eyes glimmering bright.

"I'll just leave it to you." Weiss commented, too tired to argue or suggest her own locations. In her current state, any kind of food would be just fine.

 **END**


	35. Chapter 35

**SomePervyGuy- the way in which powers are restored relate to how they're acquired in the first place… more or less. Some require a certain amount of time to pass while others need to be activated through intense emotions. That is to say, "coitus" won't result in anything more than what you'd expect… if that ever does happen… at least not in the near future…**

Chapter 35

* * *

 **Forever Fall**

* * *

"Y'know, every so often I actually like Professor Port's class." Yang commented, smiling widely as her arms swung back and forth. "Usually it's just him telling stories, but today we're doing another field day. I kinda wish he'd do this more."

"You say field day like we're going out to play sports or something." Weiss replied, looking up as if she was calculating a number in her head. "Don't forget, we're supposed to be out here for Grimm hunting training. Who knows how many missions we'll be taking when we've graduated."

"Professor Port said that there was another class doing the same thing as us today. He didn't say who specifically, which might mean they're people we haven't met." Ruby announced to her team, looking forward with a curious smile. "It's too bad that Madara isn't here today. Meeting new people may make him more social."

"That coming from you is quite a statement, little sis." Yang remarked, putting an arm around her sister's shoulder roughly. The sudden force caused Ruby to stumble momentarily, almost enough to knock her over entirely.

"Actually, where _is_ he?" Weiss asked, raising an eyebrow to her team members and his siblings.

"I think he said he was repairing his weapon. Your lightning thing ripped up some 'vital gear mechanism' is what I think he said." Yang answered with a dismissive shrug. "I doubt it's all he's absent for. My guess is that he's gone off to fight some giant monster on his own. It just means more for the rest of us. I think we can all agree he doesn't really need to do this with us. If he comes, we'd have nothing to do."

Anymore words weren't needed for the entire team to agree on Yang's statement. They all knew from first hand experience and as witnesses; they were but small stones compared to the great boulder that was Madara Uchiha. Even then, perhaps the word "boulder" was a vast understatement as well. If a clueless bystander were to hear of his feats, a fair guess would be that he rivalled the Last King of Vale, who supposedly defeated an army on his own. Perhaps what was even more frightening than just his power was his potential. Despite his overwhelming strength, he was still just a teenager who had yet to reach his peak. What was he going to be capable of in his prime? _Could_ he become more powerful? With abilities like his, that already exceeded the imagination in his own right, the only conceivable "next level" was the realm of the divine.

"So, what's the target this time?" Yang asked, tilting her head towards Ruby's scroll.

"We are looking for… Beringels? But those are the rarest kind of Grimm around here." Ruby groaned dissatisfied, as if refusing to accept what she had just read. She groaned internally, but kept a calm visage in front of her team. "Alright, let's get searching. Hm…" she trailed off, taking a survey of their surroundings.

"We could split up and search. All we need to do is tell each other if we find anything." Weiss suggested, briefly glancing to her side with an uneasy look. "Staying together will slow us down. Breaking into pairs and searching in opposite directions would maximize out range with little chance of accidents or risk of someone losing their scrolls."

"Sounds like a plan. Ruby?" Yang looked towards her sister, who seemed to have been ignoring the two since before even Weiss started talking. Then, with a triumphant grin, the heterochromatic eyed girl turned back to her team.

"Alright team, there's one about half a kilometer from here." Ruby declared, putting her hands against her sides.

"Wait, how do you know?" Blake spoke up, looking suspiciously at her team leader.

"Oh, I can see a gorilla-silhouette not far from here—half a kilometer at most. It's a little foggy, but I can see it pretty well." Ruby raised a finger to the side of her, not thinking of her own statement. Though she took the first steps and proceeded in the direction she pointed to, her team remained behind briefly.

The three stared at one another in complete silence. The awkward air that surrounded the girls had also staunched their voices. For the time being, they could only communicate through their eyes, which said everything their voices couldn't. Weiss, Blake, and even Yang all had confusion plastered across their faces. None of the three had eyesight capable of accurately identify anything from a five hundred meter distance. Even Blake, with superior vision, could not see nearly that far away. With such a ridiculous statement, Ruby must have been joking. How could she have been serious?

Nevertheless, if their leader was going in a certain direction, they were going to do the same. They had to find Beringel anyways, and standing around wasn't going to help them.

"So, are we still going to split up?" Yang asked, chuckling uneasily.

"I think we should. If Ruby is wrong, we'll have lost some time." Weiss reaffirmed her stance on the matter. "I'll go with Blake. Yang, stick with your sister. I can't explain it, but I have a weird feeling in my stomach."

"Uh… alright." Yang nodded with a confused yet indifferent look, turning to follow their leader.

"Why did you-" Blake muttered to herself, staring at her white-clad team member confusedly.

"Come on Blake. We have ground to cover." Weiss passively cut her off, taking off in the opposite direction as Yang and Ruby did. Though she hesitated, Blake shook her head lightly and followed the heiress.

As the team parted, they also inadvertently became oblivious to their surroundings. Were there to be Grimm, they would have noticed in an instant. However, Grimm weren't watching them. It was something more… _advanced_. It's body curled around the branches of a faraway tree, observing the girls with interest.

The creature cackled in a quiet whisper. " _That is… no, far more than that, I can sense powerful chakra from one of them… two, three, four of them? hng!_ " Suddenly, the creatures shapeless body fluctuated. Multiple arms shook and extended like the hair of a startled animal. An unnaturally large maw opened, revealing large jagged teeth. A ghastly black smoke emitted from its mouth, killing the green around it. " _It cannot be! That one, they have that chakra. They are… they must be close to him. They will be my weapon_ " With an inhuman mind set on a goal, the creature removed itself from the tree and mobilized.

* * *

 **Solitas**

* * *

The ice covered continent was home to the Kingdom of Atlas—the most technologically advanced nation. Its sphere of control extended to every side of the mostly-barren landmass. Known to very few—even within Atlas—was what their country did on its outlying territories. Far north east of the continent and clandestine, thanks to terrain and extensive human ingenuity, a facility was built. If a great enemy to mankind had appeared and could be captured, this would be its eternal prison.

The spotless white walls, ceiling, and the floor were each several meters thick. Multiple layers, made of various alloys, concrete, and a gel-like substance, were constructed and arranged to withstand the force of any conceivable attack. An entire herd of fully matured Goliaths could slam into any of its four sides and not a single scratch would be found.

Up until now it has been the containment chamber to a single, massive and one of a kind, titan of monsters. Even now, it's dull pink body and eight tentacle-like tails remained completely motionless. In front of it stood two veterans, Madara and General Ironwood.

"Are you absolutely sure this will work? What if it doesn't and you awaken the thing?" Ironwood asked, keeping his glare on the colossus.

"That's what we will find out. If it fails, I will deal with it." Madara replied, calmly stepping closer to the body.

"Can you safely subdue it?" Ironwood asked with an uneasy look.

To him, either a yes or a no would be worrying. If he couldn't, then the Uchiha's experiment would have to be ceased prematurely. They could not afford to let loose the monster he was shown in his office. If he couldkill the beast, what would happen if _he_ turned on them? Aside from a very vague description, Ironwood knew little to nothing about Madara's plan.

For one, he knew that this "tailed beast" was one of many. It was because of this factor that he had deployed numerous fleets around the world. What he didn't know, was what Madara would do with the creatures. The only silver lining was the lack of hostility between the two men and their common status as humans. Unfortunately, Madara remained unresponsive, avoiding the question for reasons unknown .

" _It is a shame that I hadn't spent more time exploring and developing fuinjutsu."_ Madara thought self deprecatingly. _"Had I done so, perhaps my plans would have gone smoother in some way._ "

Of all fields that he had mastered, the art of sealing was arguably the weakest. Creating basic seals to store objects within scrolls was child's play, a skill available to even the most incapable of shinobi. However, sealing something as powerful as a tailed beast was a greater challenge. Technically speaking, any seal would work, but they would undoubtedly shatter before long if the beast willed it. Without the Rinnegan, he could not summon the Gedo Statue to store them. That is, assuming the statue had arrived in this world. He knew of few other methods to seal tailed beasts, forcing him to take a more creative route. With limited resources, shadow clones were indispensable.

Madara stopped at the base of the living mountain. His next few actions were crucial. One of two things could happen. Either he would inadvertently awaken the sleeping giant or ensure its unseen eyes would never open. Ironwood made his retreat to a safer distance, where he could observe through security cameras.

Once the general was no longer in the room, the black haired boy put his hands together, forming a cross with his fingers. Four puffs of smoke appeared and out came four doppelgangers. The copies spread out, forming a pentagon around the beast before their Sharingan activated and they pressed their hands against its sides. The three tomoe pattern in their left eyes spun rapidly, slowing only after transforming into comets.

The Uke-Mochi, a single step behind the Rinnegan's Preta Path, was activated five times at once. The Chakra that the beast was comprised of began to move quickly from the its body and into theirs. The Eight Tails was the second most powerful of the nine, but was still weaker than Madara. Even so, it contained a bit more chakra than he had preferred. After a sufficient amount of red chakra was siphoned from the living container, translucent fiery blue chains emerged from their ten arms and wrapped themselves around its body.

With the sluggish movements of the blue chains, its skin seemed to darken and transform. The pink saturated, turning pitch black. Streams of red flowed in every possible direction. Its body shrunk dramatically, enough that it was roughly comparable to the size of a human. He had seen this before, it was the second stage chakra cloak a Jinchuriki took when drawing from the tailed beasts' immense chakra reserves.

However, before the ethereal binds could lock one another and complete their job, there was an inexplicable interruption. The four shadow clones exploded, sending large amounts of red chakra towards their creator. Madara was hit by a wave of nausea, but his hands remained firmly planted. Rather, it was as if they were stuck to its skin.

"What is going on?" Ironwood's voice came through an intercom. However, the Uchiha was silent. It didn't feel unusual for his lack of response, but the sudden twitch he made looked unnatural. From his place of safety, it looked as if a current of electricity had ran through the Uchiha's body.

" _What… is this?!_ " Madara demanded of the amorphous mass as he grit his teeth with a perplexed look. The thick black and red chakra exuded out, swallowing his arms like sleeves. As if to purposely expand upon the new occurrences, the chakra that intruded _felt_ wrong. The chakra rose up until it reached his elbows, but moved no further. It felt as if it wasn't even touching him, hovering around him instead. Suddenly he heard a monstrous roar, but it was coming from within his head.

"Alert, Code Green I repeat, Code Green! Set all force field outputs to maximum. We cannot allow the creature to escape from this facility." Ironwood shouted through the intercom. Ironwood's hand moved quickly. Sliding across the table in front of him to an encased button, the covering was flipped open and his hand . " _I swear, this creature will not see the light of day._ " he thought, carefully watching the situation. If anything were to happen, he would activate the facility's last defensive measure. Even if it was a monster beyond their abilities, they would not survive unscathed.

* * *

 **Forever Fall**

* * *

Surrounded by the silence of the forest walked Weiss and Blake. They had yet to find a Beringel, which was to be expected of the second rarest Grimm type within the region. Strangely enough, they had yet to encounter a Grimm of any kind. Weiss would periodically check her scroll, more specifically her team's status window, Blake may as well have not been present. She didn't say a word or make any move except for walking. The awkward silence and inexplicable friction between the two only seemed to aid the unease Weiss felt.

"Blake, can I ask you something?" Weiss hesitantly asked asked, looking at Blake through her peripheral vision.

Blake flinched as if startled by the sudden question, her bow twitching slightly. "W-what is it?"

"Well, I don't really know how to say it… but is there something I've done wrong?" she asked the girl in black, turning her head to Blake as they walked. "It just, feels like there's some bad blood, something keeping us from being better friends. Did something happen between us that I don't remember?" Blake saw the sincerity in the heiress's eyes, causing something to turn in her stomach. It wasn't because of Weiss, it was herself.

While Weiss may have been a Schnee in name, she wasn't like the people Blake and her former colleagues despised. Blake knew that for a fact, yet she couldn't so easily bring herself to acknowledge it. After the things she had done as an operative for the White Fang—the people whose lives she had taken—how could a former terrorist tell the truth, let alone befriend the heir to the SDC?

"If I _did_ do something, would an apology be—" before Weiss could continue speaking, Blake extended her hand out in front of her. She stopped moving completely, as if she was a statue. Weiss was confused at first but quickly understood the situation, at least to some degree. Whatever Blake had stopped for, it was probably something that posed a danger to the two of them. As such, the best thing to do was wait until they knew exactly what they were dealing with.

There was rusling in the trees around them despite no discernible bodies being visible. As far as Weiss could see, they were the only ones present. Even so, the two remained on guard, hands loosely held on their respective weapons.

" _A stealth-based grimm?_ " Weiss thought, her eyes jumping left and right. She was about to say something—ask Blake if she had seen anything—but found herself suddenly being pushed aside. Blake had tackled her to the ground for some reason. Overhead, she saw something that made her blood run cold.

What Blake had saved her from was an arm, elongated and not possibly human or faunus. She recognized it, despite a vastly different color. The impossible length and the oppressive feeling emanating from it were almost identical to Luna, or more accurately, the monster that possessed her. Once the arm had retracted, the two quickly rose from the ground and the owner of this arm came into full view.

It wasn't—it couldn't possibly have been—a Grimm. The dark skin and the white mask were close, but the similarities ended there. The mask had no eyes, and did not cover anything that could be described as a face. Four red "tails" flowed from the top of the mask, defying gravity as they flailed. Its slender snake-like body coiled around itself four times, a testament to its great size.

"You… close to the holder of that eye. There is darkness in you both," it murmured in a low and raspy voice, despite a complete lack of mouth or similar mechanisms. "First you, then them, then him. A fine plan."

"What is that?" Blake asked to noone in particular, her eyes wide with fear. Her faunus instincts screamed _danger_ , telling her to run if she wanted to live. Yet, her years of training told her to stand and fight no matter the cost.

Weiss knew the truth. If this creature was anything like what she and Ruby had encountered, their chances were slim at best. However, she knew that if they ran, this creature would escape and wreak havoc on the unsuspecting. As a future Huntress, she couldn't allow something like that to happen as long as she was alive. Drawing her rapier with one hand, her other shuffled around her skirt. After pulling out her scroll, she pressed a single button.

"Blake, listen to me, this isn't a creature of Grimm. It's not something we can beat." Weiss said, her shaking legs proof of the honesty in her words. "We need to stall, wait for Ruby and Yang to get here, then take it out together. I just don't know how long we can."

"Anything you know that would help us?" Blake asked, hurriedly unsheathing her katana.

"If it's anything like the first, then it has tough skin and can grow arms. Elements aside from electricity should work on it, but be ready for feedback. Do you have those cartridges Ruby made?"

" _First one? When was there anything like this thing?_ " Blake nodded as she ejected the magazine currently in her katana's built-in magnum and loaded another. The new cartridge had a fire symbol engraved on the side. "Are you sure it'll work?" she asked uncertainty.

"It's the best chance we have. Just be ready for anything, and be careful alright? We can't afford to be reckless." Weiss tightened her grip as a large golden glyph appeared beneath both of them. As two intangible arms of a clock rotated, the two were accelerated to the maximum.

"T-thanks," Blake whispered shyly, being the first to advance on the creature.

 **END**


	36. Chapter 36

**Sorry for the delay, there were some last minute technical (and human) errors. o -o);;**

 **The Jingo- ...whoops… well, he did tell them some stuff, just not everything. They now know for certain that he's from another world, and is searching for Shukaku, but they haven't been told about any of the other nine tailed beasts. They know more about chakra, how it's different from aura. Though of course, they aren't going around spreading the news. Ruby, and Ruby alone, was given slightly more info due to her circumstances.**

Chapter 36

* * *

 **Forever Fall**

* * *

"Well, that's one down!" Yang declared triumphantly, putting her hands against her sides.

The blonde stood centimeters away, in front of a large heap of black and white. It evaporated as rapidly as the corpse of any other Grimm. Unfortunately, her pride was only a front. In truth, the Beringel she and her sister had just slain was quite strong. Nonetheless, it was dead and wouldn't be able to do anything anymore.

Ruby put away her scythe and took out her scroll. "Let's take a picture before it completely disappears."

As she did so, Yang took the time to survey the area. Over the course of the battle against the creature of Grimm, they had moved a considerable distance from where they started. Unfortunately, everything naturally looked the same. The green replaced by red of one tree was no different from any other tree in the forest. Fortunately, there was a trail of damaged and destroyed trees left in their wake. They could use it to return to the general location of their starting point.

Yang tilted her head curiously. "I wonder how the others are doing?"

Ruby returned to her sister's side and pocketed her scroll. "Do you think that Blake will ever tell Weiss?" she asked solemnly.

"Woah." Yang glanced down, smiling wryly at her younger sister. "Where did that come from?"

"Well… I don't think I've ever seen or heard of them them being alone together before. Blake's always kind of avoided that. In hindsight, I kinda see why though." Ruby frowned disappointed. "I hope they're doing alright… If something bad happens between them, wouldn't it be my fault since I'm team leader? Maybe I should figure out how to tell Weiss…" She muttered to herself, looking down at her feet.

This unusually depressing situation was cut short, with a pat on the back and a confident smile from Yang.

"Don't beat yourself up over it Ruby. You know how Weiss is, right?"

Despite her words, Yang lacked confidence in her own words. She herself hadn't often interacted with Weiss, meaning she knew little about her as well as Blake. As a result, she couldn't accurately predict how Weiss would react to the news. Conversely, Ruby had spent a lot of time with her, and therefore knew her the best. If _she_ was concerned or unsure, then perhaps she was in the right. The fact that Blake had been acting even more reclusive than usual did nothing to help. Of course, Yang would never let these feelings be shown, not to Ruby.

"Yeah, but… Yeah. You're right." Ruby's mouth slowly curved upwards into a smile. "Thanks, Yang…"

She then blinked in surprise. "Oh yeah, that reminds me. I should tell them about our cat—"

Before she could finish her sentence, her recently concealed scroll rung, blaring an unusual sound. The same sound began to emit from Yang's, causing the blonde to become concerned as well.

The sound itself was an distress signal. It meant that one or more people in their team were in a situation in which they required immediate reinforcements. Though team RWBY had never used it before, the sister pair recognized the situation almost instantly.

Yang swiped her scroll's current screen to the side, revealing a different screen. On a gray grid-like plane, four glowing dots appeared. Two were red and yellow, and in their centers were an R and Y respectively. The other two were white and black, labelled W and B. "We're not far. We should head this way." She said, pointing away from herself and to the side.

Ruby nodded, grabbing her sister by the arm and activating her semblance. It was fortunate that they had agreed to split into pairs. Ruby could only carry one other person and maintain control while moving at the high speeds her semblance allowed. They vanished from their places, leaving behind mere rose petals that glided to the ground.

Starting at the very moment of takeoff, Ruby had noticed that something was unusual. The initial burst that caused her rapid acceleration was far stronger than it had ever been before. The edges of her vision were warped due to this new experience. Normally, this was to be expected. The higher speed that she moved at, the more difficult it became to keep focused. As such, her brain would concentrate its resources to what was directly in front of her. However, since acquiring the "Rinnegan" as Madara called it, that effect disappeared. All she had to do to completely remove the effect was to close her other eye. It was because of this acclimation that she was able to notice the slight distortion. Fortunately, it was short lived, as her lavender eye seemed to correct at this speed as well.

"T _his eye is awesome!_ " Ruby thought, gleefully smiling as its power made itself more just slightly apparent. Suddenly, something reverberated in the back of her mind. In the voice of her non blood-related brother, information she heard before resurfaced.

" _The Rinnegan contains various powers. All that is available to you is its kinetic vision, unrivalled by any eye or machine, and tracking prowess."_ She remembered him explaining this to her in the past, but it had seemingly exited through the ear opposite to the one entered. More importantly was that he said "various powers" meaning that her visual enhancement was far from the pinnacle of her yet-unlocked arsenal.

" _I wonder what else I can do with—No, I need to concentrate!_ " Ruby shook her head suddenly as if to regain focus.

* * *

 **Elsewhere**

* * *

The slug-like creature's "head" opened, brandishing a set of massive teeth. It let out an ear piercing screech, unbefitting of its size and appearance. Blake, having more sensitive hearing, was afflicted with actual pain. She held a hand to her head, trying to ease the harsh sensations. This was the opening it wanted, as its mouth immediately closed. Two thin arms emerged from its sides, allowing it to dig into the ground. It dragged itself across the ground, quickly advancing on the two.

In response, Weiss pierced the ground with her blade, of which was already wrapped in glyphs. A massive body of light blue ice exploded from the ground and surrounded the two, causing the target to halt in its tracks. It stabbed into the ice with its black claws, but the thick layers proved formidable. Albeit only for the time being.

" _Well, it doesn't seem as strong as that red thing._ " Weiss sighed, relieved, briefly turning her attention to Blake. "Are you alright?"

"Y-yeah. I'm fine," Blake replied, slowly gathering her scattered thoughts. She turned a hopeful look to Weiss. "Can't you encase it in ice?"

"I could, but I can't afford to spend my aura on things that may not work out… That actually gives me an idea."

She drew her rapier from the ground. A new glyph appeared around the blade, coating the weapon in a fiery orange glow. She then pointed the tip of the orange blade to the opposite end of the crystalline barrier.

"That thing is going to break through. Before it does, I'm going to open a hole for us to escape. When it breaks in and we're out, I'll seal the exits."

"Sounds like a plan." Blake accepted quickly, planting a foot forward. Blake could use her own semblance in tandem with her dust cartridges to distract the creature after it had entered to allot Weiss extra time.

The sharp black fingers its hands curled into fists, and the monster switched from slashing to punching the barrier. This proved more effective, as massive indents appeared with each punch. Cracks spread from the points of impact to cover its side of the hemisphere.

"Twenty… nineteen… eighteen," Weiss counted in a whisper, watching the cracks grow carefully. She calculated that based on the damage dealt with each punch, compared with the strength of her ice dome, there were seconds between them. Unfortunately, Weiss had severely underestimated her opponent.

The punches abruptly stopped coming. The beast backed away from the dome. At first they thought it had lost interest, but were mistaken. Weiss had realized this and weighed her options.

"Sorry Blake!" Weiss shouted, summoning a gravity and elemental glyph between the faunus. The elemental glyph melted the ice behind Blake with fire, as the gravity glyph threw her outside of the dome. Caught off guard and unable to resist the sudden change in motion, she could only watch as the monster charged through the dome.

It caught the girl in white, using her as a human shield to break through the other side. With a flick of its body, Weiss disconnected from its forehead and was rendered airborne. The jaw opened once again, but instead of trying to swallow her whole, its arm grabbed and slammed her into the ground. The force of impact rose a cloud of debris, without a doubt shredding her cutting her aura capacity down by at least half.

"Weiss!" Blake shouted, her mouth hanging slightly open and her eyes widened. The grip on her katana tightened even more as she returned to her feet. She sprinted towards the beast, rage clouding her thoughts. However, after moving only three meters, there was a sudden explosion that shook the very forest itself. It wasn't one of dust or a sudden collision. It was an explosion of sound. Blake was disoriented by the sonic boom, but caught a glimpse of a red blur. There was a crisp sound, and the beast's body was severed in half.

"...Ruby?" Blake asked, a stunned expression on her face. The red mass stopped dead, darkening and transforming into the long awaited backup.

* * *

 **Solitas**

* * *

No more than moments ago, Madara Uchiha was in the process of sealing away the eight tailed beast. It was a fuinjutsu of his own design—a substitute for the Gedo Statue whose location he knew not. Similarly, it was made for the tailed beast specifically, by compressing and suppressing their chakra. The use of shadow clones and the tailed beast chakra he had obtained in the past were his tools that he used to develop it. He was confident in his ability to store multiple tailed beasts within him simultaneously, since he could contain their different chakras without issue.

Despite this objective, it was clearly evident from his first attempt that something had gone wrong. The intention with the jutsu was that the tailed beast would be sealed inside of him, making him its jinchuriki. For some reason, it malfunctioned. The Eight Tails' chakra _was_ being absorbed and sealed within him, but some of it acted strangely. It attempted to cover his body as if to form a version 2 cloak, but seemed to overlap on something pre-existing.

However, there was something more important than determining the cause of the phenomena of the sealing attempt. Wherever he was, it was obviously not the containment facility he knew moments ago.

" _What… is this._ " He thought, calmly surveying his surroundings. Upon initial observation, he could determine that he was in some kind of tunnel. He was ankle deep in water, the lights dim and bodiless. Ahead of him was a black void, not illuminated as it probably should have been.

As he walked, continuing to scan the area, Madara activated his sharingan to counteract the growing darkness. Fortunately, it also meant that his chakra was still available should he need to use it.

Suddenly, there was a loud roar directly ahead of him. It was monstrous, but familiar. He heard it before; the roar of the Eight Tailed beast. He used the Shunshin no Jutsu to dramatically increase his speed, moving as fast as he could towards the source. By the time he stopped, the tunnel had opened up into a large, still flooded, room. The lighting was considerably better, allowing him to see his target in full view.

" _Is this where you've decided to take us?_ " Madara thought, putting his hands together and preparing to use ninjutsu.

"Bastard!" the ox-octopus hybrid shouted, not at all surprising to Madara. "After your battle with the old lady and went through that weird portal I blacked out. Now, you of all damn people are in front of me. What the hell is going on?!" the Eight Tails demanded, its voice alone was enough to shake the ground.

" _So it too was aware, which means all others could have been as well._ " Madara theorized, resting his chin and one of his hands. "How was a tailed beast like you captured by these humans? Surely you haven't become weak after these years." he said plainly.

"How the hell would I know? I've been dead asleep until just now… although, there was this weird white-skinned woman in black I saw while I was out. I'm pretty sure she said something to me…" it muttered, scratching the top of its head.

"Salem." Madara named. He remembered the name from one of Lionheart's reports.

She was some kind of powerful individual that could command grimm, who also blackmailed him into doing her bidding. Unfortunately, that was the furthest extent of his knowledge in the matter. Her location was unknown, communication occurred only remotely through the jellyfish-like grimm. Needless to say, he was rather unhelpful in terms of gathering information. The only thing that kept him alive was his status and power held as a headmaster.

"Whatever her name is, she really pisses me off. Though, I'd rather see her than be here. As we speak, my chakra is being sealed by your irritating chains." it groaned, leaning its head back and letting out a sigh.

"Then this… why did you bring me here?" Madara asked, raising a suspicious eyebrow.

"Simple, I wanted to know just who I was being sealed into." it said with a disappointed tone, supporting is head on one of its large humanoid arms. "Shame that of all people, I have to be back with you. Just know that you're on your own, and I'll be looking for any possible chance to escape and kill you." it declared.

Before Madara could retort, the eight tails vanished from view. His surroundings began to crumble apart, revealing bright white behind the darkness. In seconds, the mindscape had been completely destroyed, and he returned to the containment facility. The beast wasn't in front of him anymore, but he could feel its presence inside of himself.

"Can you hear me?" Madara heard Ironwood's concerned and fearful voice. "The scanners indicate you're alone in that room. Were you successful in containing that thing?"

"Yes, now open the door. I'll be leaving now." Madara replied quickly, turning away from the middle of the room and towards the door. Without response, the two doors slid aside, making way for the Uchiha.

"There'll be a transport ship waiting. I have some questions to ask you before I let you go."

Madara didn't respond, but certainly heard the request. He didn't mind in particular, as he wasn't under any obligations to answer if he didn't want to. With the second strongest down with relative ease, two accounted for, and a wide surveillance array, it wouldn't take long before he could capture all nine. Whether or not they were combined into the Ten Tails, their chakra alone would surely suffice. The only real concern was whether he could reclaim the rinne-sharingan using the shattered moon, but with six paths chakra, it too would be no more than a simple chore. All he needed to find was the other rinnegan, his other rinnegan.

* * *

 **Forever Fall**

* * *

In one hand, Ruby held her scroll that displayed her team's auras. Weiss' gauge was yellow, close enough that one more substantial strike would turn the bar red. In her other hand was Crescent rose, the head rotated upwards in its war scythe form. The blade crackled with white and blue electricity, her cold glare directed towards the monster she had just bisected.

"...Ruby," Blake muttered, blinking rapidly as if she woke up from a dream.

"Blake, you alright?" Blake heard from behind, quickly snapping her head back to see her own partner. Yang's expression was a combination, shock mixed with a sense of relief and elation.

"I-I'm fine, but Weiss is…" Blake pointed towards a shallow crater beside the upper half of the creature. However, her eyes refocused on the creature specifically as it began shaking and moving.

Opposing gravity itself, the two halves of the leech-like monster slithered together, the wounds disappearing completely.

"Let's get her out of there!"Yang shouted, taking Blake with her to rescue their fallen team member. "Ruby, keep it busy!"

"On it." Ruby replied sharply, putting away her scroll and gripping the blade tightly.

A low growl came from the regenerated beast, followed by a quiet cackling. "You hate me… good. The darkness in your heart fuels me. That is why you will fall here."

It swayed from side to side. From its cylindrical body, several pairs of similarly black appendages sprouted. Half of them stabbed into the ground, the others moving to surround Ruby. Fortunately this meant that Blake and Yang weren't being targeted, allowing them to safely extract a disoriented Weiss from the front lines.

"Are you alright, Weiss?" Yang asked as she and Blake carried the heiress.

"Y-yeah, just a bit nauseous," Weiss murmured, trying to recollect her consciousness. "Wait, Yang, where's Ruby?"

"She's keeping that thing, whatever it is, busy. Blake, stick with her while Ruby and I handle this."

"Be careful, it's smarter than it looks," Blake warned with absolute seriousness. "It's fast and strong."

"We'll be fine. Trust me," Yang said, leaving the two to support her sister in the fight.

 **END**


	37. Chapter 37

**In response to everyone who is against weakening Madara: would it be better to have the character start weaker and then grow more powerful along with the rest of the cast? Or have Coco Adel from the Volume 2 finale? I for one prefer the former. If you don't like my choices, you can read other crossovers that** _ **do**_ **have god as the protagonist.**

 **Wassa110- Do you… know what senjutsu is or how it works? I also have my own origin story for Kaguya, which has been shown in minor amounts. It'll be expanded upon later on.**

Chapter 37

* * *

 **Transport Ship**

* * *

"As of twenty minutes ago, all fleets have reported in." Ironwood explained, pointing to several highlighted locations on a holographic map. "With this communication array, every kingdom will be within our range of observation. If one of those 'tailed beasts' as you say appears within fifty kilometers of Vale, Mistral, Atlas, or Vacuo, we will know."

"Fifty will give you five minutes if they are generous." Madara declared, his arms crossed defensively.

The tailed beasts were all different physiologically, and their abilities reflected that. Some moved faster than others, such as the nine tailed fox being faster on land than the six tailed slug, but slower in water than the three tails. They were all still extremely fast, such that the none of the vehicles of this world that could outspeed them, let alone outrun their ranged attacks.

"The fleets are comprised mostly of droids. Even if combat becomes unavoidable, we aren't at risk of losing vital personnelle. The data we've collected has been used to modify our equipment accordingly. The Atlesian Fleet is stronger than ever." Ironwood countered.

Of course, even with the enhancements he boasted, he hadn't the slightest idea that he could defeat that ten tailed giant. He was but a man with a puppet army, that was all forces of nature contained in a single titanic body.

"Enhancements?" Madara asked with an interested but suspicious stare.

Before Ironwood could elaborate, the ship's pilot suddenly shouted "brace for impact". Following his warning, the ship had undergone significant turbulence, shaking violently and losing balance completely.

"S-status report! What is attacking us?" Ironwood shouted to the pilot, using the wall to keep himself steady.

"Sir! A large explosions had just gone off in the Forever Fall Forest eight klicks east of us." they replied in a frantic tone, struggling to keep the ship under control.

"What kind of explosion?" asked the General with a worried look.

"Unknown. Moments before the initial blast, an unidentifiable black sphere had appeared from the treeline." they replied.

The description caught Madara's attention, prompting him to jump to his feet and head towards the door.

"What is going on?" Ironwood asked the fleeing Uchiha. "Is it another one of those things?"

Without responding, the back door of the transport vehicle opened. Despite the four hundred meter distance between them and the ground, Madara stepped out without hesitation, immediately activating his Mangekyou Sharingan.

"Damnit. Get in contact with the nearest recon and medical ships. I want this area secured and evacuated!" Ironwood ordered, closing the door that Madara had left open.

* * *

 **Forever Fall**

* * *

"What's the plan Ruby?" Yang whispered to her sister as her bracelets transformed. With a series of metallic clicks the golden accessories expanded into into their standard combat mode; gauntlets. She pounded her fists together, creating a small shockwave from the impact.

"Beat it down until it can't regenerate anymore." Ruby declared.

There was an unusual coldness in her voice, which Yang to recoil and glance worriedly at her sister. Sure, the creature attacked their partners, but not even the creatures of Grimm that existed to do so had garnered such a gaze. However, her concern for Ruby had to wait. Yang returned focus on the enemy, the most important objective at the moment.

Even before battle, the two were at an information disadvantage. Neither of the two had ever encountered, let alone fought against, a creature like this. Not only was its body structure extremely flexible, but it could grow additional arms and regenerate from normally fatal injuries. It wasn't possible to say, with any confidence, that they had seen all of its abilities. An intelligent or experienced fighter, like the two were, would be sensible enough to suspect the complete opposite.

This had raised an unvoiced yet shared sentiment. There wasn't a person in Team RWBY, save for Ruby, who believed they had what was necessary to outperform and overcome this opponent. Despite that, Ruby pointed Crescent Rose's electrically charged blade behind her back and activated her semblance once more. She dashed forward with her war scythe coiled back and ready to swing for a second swing, the first of which was capable of ripping through its target's flesh.

The multiple arms that suspended the creature upright retracted, allowing it to return to the ground. It moved slower than Ruby, but slithered in a nonlinear pattern. Just two meters before contact, the creature's upper body rose from the ground, several pairs of arms extending to attack Ruby. However, the beast's attention switched to Yang, who used her gauntlets to propel herself into the air. It ducked under her punch, countering with lodging its own fist into her stomach. She was hurled against a tree, which alongside her aura, dampened her impact. In the process, the section of its body that would have been cut in half extended backwards, avoiding the blade.

Using the momentum of her missed strike and the recoil of another shot, Ruby stepped closer and swung another time, the tip of her weapon making contact. Unfortunately, it only managed to scrape the creature's skin.

It snarled while launching an arm towards the petite girl, but before it could land, the ground shook violently and resulted in a missed punch and Ruby remaining unharmed. Yang, enhanced by the damage she absorbed, had cracked the ground in a line between them with a single punch.

"That was a good hit, but I'll give you one better." Yang smiled, cracking her knuckles and switching out the shells in her gauntlets. " _It's pretty fast, shooting at it would be no good. I'll go with close quarters and wide attack range._ " she affirmed, taking off with a leap.

She cocked her fist back, firing a shot behind her to increase her speed. Centimeters from the creature she threw a punch. A black hand attempted to catch the incoming blow, but was unable to withstand the force. On contact, she fired an red-colored shell. The arm exploded as a result, like a jelly that lost its casing and renounced its form to gravity. The use of these rounds had a secondary and intentional effect. Not only would they do greater damage to the creature than just a simple punch, the splash damage would increase Yang's own strength. She could more than afford the extra damage in return for the boost.

The creature retreated slightly, but was in the process tagged by an electric bullet from the rifle module of Crescent Rose. it had the perfect effect, the coursing energy stunning and slowing down the monster's movements. These moments of paralysis allowed Yang to follow up with a flurry of punches, the remaining arms were used to defend as it attempted to back away, but Yang's aggressive approach made use of its large body to land hits. As the stun began to wear off Yang pointed both gauntlets down and fired, sending herself into the air.

"Take this!" Yang shouted, coming down with her hands together.

The Huntress in training's fists slammed into the midsection of its serpentine body, sending large ripples to its head and tail. Unfortunately, it seemed to do little to no damage. She fired two shells, but they too had no visible effects.

"Impressive, but futile," the creature muttered, thrashing its body violently as to shake Yang away.

Yang lost what little grip she managed to gain and it whipped her away with a swing of its tail. Yang spun counter to her rotation, caused by the lash, reducing her speed and retaining control as she landed. The beast retreated back by several meters before Its head turned, the mask facing Ruby and Ruby alone.

"You have something we want. You, who is but a child, wields power not meant for you. How was this achieved?"

It took more than a second to register that the creature was speaking to her. Ruby raised a confused eyebrow, her mouth ajar as if she was about to say something.

" _Is this thing after the Rinnegan?_ "

She removed one of her hands from the pole as if to reach for her own face. Despite both of her eyes having undergone a mysterious transformation, only one of them seemed to be of importance. Said importance was, up until now, only noticeable to Madara. As such, it was more likely that it was referring to the Rinnegan as well, instead of her platinum colored eye.

She shook her head from side to side, repressing her concerns to be explored at another time. Her free hand returned to her weapon. Just in time as well, as had she not returned from her wonders a second longer, she wouldn't have noticed a dozen black arms flying towards her.

She gasped, dashing to the side to avoid the wall of claws and swung down vertically. With the lightning chakra running through the blade increasing the cutting power, it had sliced clean through the thin black limbs.

Despite the dismemberment, the stumps remained active, slamming into Ruby's stomach. Even with damage reduction via her aura shield, Ruby could not keep the air within her from escaping upon contact.

"Ruby!" Yang shouted, her eyes turning a deep red and her hair gaining a fiery glow. She brought her fist back and prepared to launch a barrage, but stopped before a single round was fired. Despite knowing that her sister's aura was well intact, she wasn't willing to risk the chance of damaging her. As she approached, several dozens of new black arms moved to intercept.

Yang proceeded with her previously effective strategy, create explosions using her gauntlet shells at the moment of impact to increase the damage and her strength. However, it appeared to be less effective this time around. Despite the damage, they continued to extend at a faster rate than she was capable of destroying. Soon enough, they overwhelmed the blonde, driving her into the ground and barraging her with light punches.

"Yang!" Blake exclaimed, firing a full magazine of rounds into the beast's face, but to no avail. She wanted to get up and come to her aid, she wanted to rescue Ruby, but taking either course of actions would leave Weiss alone and vulnerable. She looked at the girl in white, who was sitting on the ground recharging her aura. "Weiss, come on, we need to help them."

"Go, I'll be fine." Weiss declared, a resolved stare focused directly at Blake. The faunus nodded, dashing off towards the combatants.

With Yang on the ground temporarily the arms of the creature retracted into its body, leaving only the tendrils that held Ruby in the air and without her weapon, save for one. The sharp claws on its fingers were like knives, sharp enough to tear through skin like a sword. It encircled Ruby's head, stopping on front of her face.

"It would be good to take your eyes," it spoke, the sharp claws lightly pressing against Ruby's eyelid and holding it open, before moving back quickly. Ruby quickly closed both of her eyes, shaking her head randomly. "Or… to use you against him would be most effecti-"

Before it could continue its train of thought, something else had caught its attention. Its head lowered to face Blake and her katana sticking into its side. Its free arm shot at the attacker, but instead of smashing the girl into the ground, it spontaneously burst into flames. Using her semblance and the fire dust held within the magazine of her gun, Blake had created a statue of herself that would explode when struck.

"What is this?" it demanded in a confused tone, growing additional arms. They shot out like their predecessors, but before they could reach Blake, a wall of pure blue ice intercepted them. The arms slammed into the wall and stopped dead. The construct was stronger, far more so, than the previous barrier. Both the creature and Blake turned their attention to Weiss, whose sword was embedded into the ground.

"Blake, Yang, focus on getting Ruby out of there. " Weiss shouted, smiling confidently to the two. The two nodded in confirmation, following their commands.

The two rushed towards the creature, who responded by screeching loudly. Blake was afflicted just as before, her cat ears ringing painfully from the high pitched sound, but managed to bear with it.

With the first attack a failure, it appeared to open its mouth wide as if it wanted to swallow something whole. Black and blue Particles began to appear from thin air, gathering together into a dark purple ball in front of its grotesque maw. None of team RWBY had ever seen it before, but they didn't quite need to. Whatever the sphere was made of or what it did, it would be stupid to think that it wasn't something dangerous. Eventually, the sphere expanded to half a meter in diameter, yet hadn't stopped expanding.

Ruby, who could see the true composition of the mass with the Rinnegan, screamed with a look of terror spread across her. "Get away from it!"

Briefly, lasting no longer than an instant, her metallic white eye glinted. The sudden feeling of pain, on the other hand, did not end so quickly. It was pain, the same pain that Ruby felt in her eyes when she first attained them, but worse. The feeling coursed through her veins into every corner of her body. Unlike the feeling of being on fire, she felt as if her very blood had been turned into a molten substance. Unable to move to comfort herself in the black tendril restraints, she writhed in agony.

" _It's happening again…_ " Yang thought, watching her sister helplessly. She grit her teeth, her head turning to Weiss. However, no words came out of her ajar mouth. Weiss was present as well when Ruby collapsed at the harbor and undoubtedly noticed what Yang had. Blake was no different. Despite this neither of them said a word, potentially meaning they knew or didn't know what they could do.

Oddly enough, even the slug-like creature appeared perplexed at Ruby's behavior. There was a low growl that came from the creature.

"What… is this?" it asked cluelessly. It certainly hadn't done anything that would cause the girl to act this way. It's only goal was to capture her with as little harm as possible. If she was damaged, she would be less effective as a host, a less effective tool to be used. Whatever was happening, it could wait until the three nuisances were taken care of. That's what it thought as the sphere was put into use.

Weiss conjured a blast shield of pure blue ice in front of three with a thickness of five meters. A moment after the glacier was created, another alarm rung from the others' scrolls. They ignored it, as the cause for the alert was blatantly obvious. Yang was far more concerned with their position, or lack thereof.

"Weiss what are you doing? We need to get Ruby away from it!" Yang exclaimed, her red eyes burning with fury.

"R-Ruby told us to get a… away and I _know_ that there's no chance of that. We'll get her after that thing is done." Weiss snapped back, panting heavily from aura exhaustion. Whatever the sphere was going to be used for, the chances of Ruby being harmed were extremely low. If its goal was to hurt her, she probably wouldn't be alive now.

"Weiss is right, we can't rush in." Blake concurred, putting a hand on Yang's shoulder. The blonde spun around quickly and their eyes met. Yang was angered by the mere suggestion that they should leave Ruby, for all they knew, it could have been some kind of diversion and it would attempt to flee with her little sister as some kind of trophy. However, Blake's calm firm stare kept her in check. If they wanted to do anything, they needed to get past this creature and its odd looking ball.

The pain finally began to fade from Ruby. She felt incredibly weak, exhausted by just trying to stay conscious. It was as if her aura had suddenly vanished from within her body, replaced with an unpleasant and unfamiliar feeling. Despite the fatigue and nausea that urged her to fall asleep, she could hear a quiet echo. It was an incoherent gibberish at first. An indescribable voice repeated two words to her in a language she was not familiar with. The closest thing that she could tie its words to were the things Madara would occasionally utter before performing something fantastical.

At the same time, the sphere had finally stopped growing once it had a diameter of two meters. Suddenly, like a star about to die, the ball collapsed in on itself, shrinking down to a quarter of its size. It hadn't lost a shred of its power, merely becoming smaller for convenience. The beast roared as if commanding the sphere to perform its task. An explosion went off within the forest, but it was not by the hands nor will of the serpentine monster.

The three pairs of eyes widened and three jaws dropped simultaneously. The creature itself was blindsided, torn apart and thrown aside by the concussive force while the sphere was launched directly into the sky. Ten seconds passed, and it too had detonated, creating a blinding flash of light and energy. Yang, Blake, and Weiss all recognized what they had just avoided, what would have certainly vaporized them had it succeeded. The body of their enemy, that had been able to regenerate ahd shrug off dismemberment, laid on the floor motionless. Its body crumbled, not evaporated, but liquified.

The restraints that held Ruby were splattered across the ground and the trees, as if the platinum eyed girl herself had exploded, yet she didn't. Her feet touched the floor, but there was only a second between contact before the rest of her body followed. She was out for the count, signified by her lack of movement and closed eyes.

The forest fell dead silent, yet the three had wanted to ask the same question. It would have been reasonable for any one or all of them to ask "what just happened" yet none uttered a word. Their energies were spent, drained of all strength. They felt relieved, happy that at the very least the threat was eliminated.

That joy was short, however, as a gust of wind pushed past them. If it was something dangerous, even just a small pack of grimm, they may have just given up from exhaustion. Fortunately, that who appeared was no less than a sight for sore eyes, his body clad in thin maroon armor and his long black hair unkempt.

Yang smiled wryly, letting out a sigh of relief as she watched Madara approach their sister and pick her up. "Took long enough."

After securing the unconscious girl, he surveyed the battlefield

" _What… is this,_ " he thought, staring confusedly at the messy black remnants. The magnitude of the explosion, the description of what exploded, it couldn't have been anything but a tailed beast bomb. That said, tailed beasts were immortal, and there wasn't a single tailed beast that looked like what Team RWBY had slain.

Whatever it was, it was dead. Ironwood and his soldiers would be coming to seal off the vicinity, and the creature's body wasn't dissipating like the creatures of Grimm would, meaning that he could examine the corpse at another time. First and foremost, returning the team to a safe location was top priority.

 **END**


	38. Chapter 38: End of Part 3

**Guest- that was not Black Zetsu. It was a clone/copy of another vile amorphous entity.**

 **Blackmoon915- He's had bijuu chakra from both Shukaku and Luna, and some from Gyuki from using the Uke-mochi. Of course, even that much altogether is a far cry from how much Gyuki is composed of, so yes it will take a bit for his body to acclimate. Even more problematic is that in accomplishing his goal, he used his remaining eye five times.**

Chapter 38

* * *

 **? Domain**

* * *

" _It seems that they failed,_ " Salem, master of the Grimm, thought sitting in her chair and looking down at the glass-like head of a Seer Grimm. _"I expected as much._ "

Just moments ago, she had watched the doppelganger of an ally get torn apart by an inexplicable force.

" _A power that like that derived from something as weak as aura… No, there must be a missing step in between. That silver—no, platinum—eye. It has some kind of relation to that power._ "

The woman turned her head away from the Grimm, changing focus to the large pair of black doors across the room. There was a rhythmic clicking sound coming from the other side before stopping. The massive doors opened, pushed apart by a figure in black. Like she herself, the petite girl had white hair, but the differences laid in her pigmented skin and silver eyes. She glared, the small hands that pushed open the door curled into fists. Following behind her was a tall man with darkened skin, dressed in a dark gray suit.

"Forgive our intrusion, your grace, but she insisted that this matter was urgent," the man said eloquently, bowing his head in respect

"It's fine, Dr. Watts." Salem raised a calming hand to the man. She then stared at the girl with a look of curiosity as well as impatience. "Now, what is it?"

"With all due respect, I'm getting annoyed," The girl scorned at her senior, huffing. "We had a deal and I'm sure you didn't forget. I would serve under you as long as you helped me locate Ozpin and Mekah. It's been weeks if not months, and not even at Beacon could I find them. At what point are you going to hold up your end?"

"Child, I would suggest not speaking in such a manner." Dr. Watts whispered, eyeing the Grimm beside Salem. "Don't forget where you are."

"Can't the mother of all grimm control her damn kids?" The silver eyed girl asked, staring at the man with a confused look.

"If I was such a figure perhaps. Nonetheless, the young are infantile nonetheless, even despite my superiority." replied the woman in a flat tone and a bored expression. "And as for your concerns, Juliet, Dr. Watts,"

On cue, the man drew a scroll from his pocket, stepping forward and setting it on the table between the three. The screen lit up, constructing a holographic image for all to see. It was the image of a poster for the Vytal Festival Tournament. Still, the girl remained confused.

"Okay, it's in like two or three weeks," the girl named Juliet asked, raising an eyebrow to the poster. "What about it?"

"The ones you are so focused on will be part of the tournament, as you _should_ know. However, if you manage to find Ozpin and confront him, you _will_ lose." She declared, an almost worried tone hidden within her voice before glancing at the room's third occupant. "For now, return to young Cinder and prepare. Dr. Watts seems to want to speak with me alone."

Without reply, Juliet turned and exited the room. The doors closed behind her automatically, leaving Dr. Watts and the Grimm's master alone. In the ensuing silence, Dr. Watts cleared his throat.

"Thank you, your grace… If I may ask, what is the point of keeping that girl around?" Dr. Watts asked, glancing at the door behind him. "None of our plans involve her goals despite what she was told—much of the opposite in fact."

"To begin with, she is a bearer of Silver Eyes. The power that slayed the First Grimm is formidable even in the hands of a child. It is not a common occurrence when my enemy's power can be at my disposal. Now, her value has increased." with a gesture, the jellyfish-shaped creature floated towards Dr. Watts, who stumbled back instinctively. The glass dome-like head lit up, displaying the same recording she had watched minutes ago.

"Another Silver eyed girl. I don't see the significance" He put a hand on his chin "Although that other eye interests me. Is the goal to recruit her as well?"

"Wrong. That is not a silver eye. It is some sort of mutation born of the accursed trait—one that has never existed before. If one can attain this mutation, then another may as well." She smirked confidently. "Is there anything else that concerns you?"

"Yes, the bodies of the two large organisms that you have managed to detain—the larger one in particular. Despite the lack of movement, it feels as if the fox will awaken at any moment." Dr. Watts' voice failed his calm facade.

"They are nothing to be concerned with," She reassured him, her calm demeanor aiding to quell his nerves.

"I see. Very well then. I will be taking my leave." Without another word, he too had exited the room.

Salem leaned back into her seat, neither smiling nor scorning, simply staring at the ceiling with a look full of intent. She was silent. " _Soon, Ozpin. Everything you have built to combat me will crumble. You know it's coming, don't you? Your king will not save you a second time._ "

* * *

 **Beacon Academy**

* * *

It was no more than a day since the battle and explosion that rocked the forest. Class had been put on pause since then.

Atlas Military had swept in and secured the area, preventing anyone from entering without authorization. Despite this, the results were nothing short of a miracle. The evacuation had gone smoothly. Only the students at ground zero, team RWBY, had received any injuries—even then, they were minor.

Blake was relatively unharmed which, known to nobody but her, was thanks to Weiss throwing her out of harm's way. Said heiress had an injured liver, but was sure to make a full recovery before long. Yang had slight burns on her hands thanks to her aggressive technique and bruises on her stomach. All that was left, was Ruby, whom the three awaited uncertain.

Since the team's "victory" Ruby had been unconscious, in a comatose-like state ever since they were evacuated. There was no word from the school's medical staff on her condition and none had the courage to ask the nurses or doctors directly. As such, they remained in their dorm room, quietly waiting in hopes of their always energetic and scatterbrained leader's triumphant recovery.

Yang sighed, stretching her arms out as she laid back on her bed. She looked bored, having been almost completely inactive for the entire morning. She tossed and turned, squirming tirelessly before exhaling deeply. She glanced to her one visible roommate. Weiss was sitting at a desk facing away. Upon squinting her eyes, she could just barely notice hooks hanging behind her ears.

" _Glasses… since when did Weiss wear glasses?_ " Yang tilted her head as best she could in her position. " _Eh, I guess it would fit her the most to be that kind of character. I wonder how she'd react to being called 'professor'?_ " She smiled briefly on the ridiculous idea. Weiss wouldn't accept the title for as long as she lived, unfortunately—not even as a joke. Even so, the image was entertained longer than it really should have.

Suddenly, she turned and sat up from her bed, narrowly avoiding a collision with the base of the bed just above hers, Blake's. "I'm going out for a bit," she said, standing up and heading to her dresser.

"Hm? Where are you going?" Weiss asked, turning to Yang and allowing her to confirm the presence of lenses held in front of her curious blue eyes.

"Out," Yang replied, donning her usual brown shirt and black bike shorts. "I'm gonna go and get some fresh air, maybe get something to eat. Anything but stay in here." She walked towards the door, taking unusually heavy steps with a serious expression on her face.

Weiss had a good idea what the cause for Yang's irritation was. If not for the book she read that kept her thoughts occupied, she would have been in the same position. Granted, she would have found a somewhat less _direct_ way to cope.

"Oh, alright. See you later then." Weiss replied hesitantly, returning her eyes to her book.

The door shut with a hard thud. The sound of heavy footsteps started at the door and quickly faded out of range. Silence returned to the room.

Unlike Ruby and Yang, the other two members of their team embraced the quiet and serene moments. These times were too few and far between for either of their tastes. Most disappointing was that Blake, who was asleep, would never know of this rare occurrence. Being asleep during this kind of time had a different air to it than being awake.

" _I hope she doesn't end up going on a rampage, or someone try something stupid with her hair now of all times,_ " Weiss thought, shuttering fearfully as she remembered an unpleasant memory. Someone thought it would be a good idea to cut off a piece of her oh so beloved hair and was summarily sent to the nurse's office.

She sighed to herself, continuing to scan through the textbook in front of her. She blinked rapidly, focusing her eyes on a single passage. "Ninety years ago… nghn—" she grunted in pain, a migraine suddenly affronting her. In moving her hands to cradle her head, her elbows slightly banged against the table. She stayed like that for about ten seconds, before shaking off the ensuing nausea. She quickly closed the book, but rather quickly. It felt like her body moved on its own as she forced the book shut, as if she was just a puppet.

"You alright?" She heard Blake's startled voice from behind, prompting her to turn around. Weiss did a double take as she stared blankly, but appeared to shrug it off soon enough.

"Yeah I'm fine. Good morning." Weiss replied awkwardly, putting the textbook away and moving to their bathroom. "Something, weird happened. I'm reading one of the assigned chapters and all of the sudden it feels like I've been kicked in the head."

"Maybe stress?" Blake suggested with an indifferent look, fixing the bow on her head as she too got out of bead.

"I don't think so. I didn't have any trouble sleeping, and while I _am_ worried about Ruby, overthinking about things I can't do anything about is just wasted energy." The sound of running water echoed through the room. Weiss had turned the sink faucet on. "By the way, Blake, I have been meaning to mention for awhile… you're a Faunus, aren't you?"

The question dropped on Blake like an executioner's blade. She couldn't think of how to respond while her mind was thrown into chaos. The name she gave her, the title she tried to hide the most, was suddenly brought to light.

" _W-when… how did she find out?_ "

A cold sweat running down her back drew a scared look on Blake's face. She was caught in the middle of a crossroad, trying to think of how she would respond. Her long held beliefs clashed against her more recent experiences. She knew that she would eventually have to tell Weiss the truth, and planned for a time to do so, but it would be on her terms. She hadn't expected for the time to be so soon or for Weiss to initiate the conversation. She wasn't yet prepared, her head was still stuck on trying to figure out how Weiss had discovered her secret to begin with.

The door to the bathroom was wide open and Blake could partially see the mirror, but not the person inside, meaning she could only wait until Weiss returned so that she could see the heiress's expression. Soon enough, she re-emerged from the bathroom, the natural oils and dust gone from her face. More importantly, was the unexpectedly nonchalaunt look on her face. There wasn't any sign of anger or elation that could be discerned.

"I'm not upset, if that's what you think," Weiss said, putting a hand against her side with a calm gaze.

"How, or when, did you find out?" Blake asked, slightly at ease by Weiss's demeanor—calm enough to be able to speak coherently.

"The random twitching of your bow," Weiss said sarcastically, pointing to the air above her head. "At first I thought it was just the wind, but then it would happen regardless of if we were indoors or outdoors. I also noticed the unusual eating and sleeping habits, in particular your almost seafood exclusive diet. Lastly, while I was doing research for one of Professor Oobleck's history papers, I discovered the name "Belladonna" was more than just the last name of my team member."

The name Belladonna had slowly faded from the minds of the current generation. There were few that remembered the name for what it stood for. No less than two decades ago, it belongs to the leaders of the—then pacifistic—White Fang. they made many minor steps towards improving human-faunus relations until the leader, Ghira Belladonna, stepped down and Sienna Kahn had taken over. Based on Blake's age, and the year the Belladonnas relinquished their positions, she had surmised that Blake had been a member at a young age.

"It was surprising to discover that you were apart of the White Fang so long ago. Though, I think after what that organization has become, anyone would want to get away from all of it." Weiss shrugged before crossing her arms. She frowned, her eyes sharpening in the process.

"You're right, but that's… not all, Weiss." Blake sighed as she undid the string that held her bow in place, revealing a pair of cat ears. Weiss blinked as her eyes first laid upon the animalistic features.

" _So she's a cat faunus? I kind of knew with the fish thing, and the obsession with small quick moving objects, but it's surprising nonetheless._ " Weiss thought, her gaze shifting up and down between the ears and Blake's eyes.

"Even after the change in leaders, I didn't desert. I was a member up until just before enrolling in Beacon. I was… too blinded by the good I thought I was doing to realize how many were suffering because of it. I never wanted people to find out, because there's no way a school would accept an ex-terrorist. Who would?" Blake raised her voice a notch higher, She stared at Weiss restlessly waiting for an answer.

"You're right. Most people _wouldn't_ accept someone like that—someone like you—but it'd be hypocritical of me to look down on someone for what they were instead of what they are." Weiss' frown faded from her face. "Even if you were, we fought at the docks together. We were all fighting the same enemy. That's the Blake I know."

Blake stepped back unintentionally. She was certain that these words were sincere, and her body language proved as much. Unfortunately, she hadn't a proper response to give. Her lips opened and closed aimlessly.

"I don't know what to say, but thank you." Blake said, smiling as her shaking coming to a quick end.

Weiss gave a self-deprecatingly chuckle, her mouth forming a thin smile. "There's no reason to thank me. All that matters is that we can work together better as a team and as friends. As much as I hate to admit it, I'm still coming to terms with the fact that my teammate has been a faunus all along, and finally admitted to it." She waved dismissively.

Suddenly, several clicking sounds came from beside them. They both turned their heads to the room door. Its knob turned and it opened, allowing entry to their petite black haired team leader. Her discolored eyes scanned the room before fixating on Blake and her lack of bow.

"I-gi-but!" Ruby stuttered, babbling something towards Weiss.

"I-it's alright Ruby. just calm down." Blake said with a frantic look. After a moment Ruby nodded, stepping in and closing the door behind her.

"So… What did the nurse say?" Weiss asked, eyeing her partner worriedly.

"They… I'm all checked out, no worries here." Ruby quickly responded, smiling proudly before looking at one of the empty beds. "But what about you two? Blake?" she asked with a concerned face.

"It's fine, Ruby." Blake said simply, glancing at Weiss with a smile.

"Oh, that's good." Ruby cheered to herself. Had she heard the news some other time, she may have thrown her hands up in celebration. However, the lack of a certain presence caught her attention first. "Hey, where's Yang?" She asked, looking at the empty bed that belonged to her sister.

"She said she wanted to get some fresh air, and then just left. Maybe it's just me, but I get a bad feeling from it." Weiss commented with an uneasy look.

"Oh… we should uh, go find her then, before she ends up beating someone up." Ruby laughed to herself sarcastically. Blake and Weiss looked at one another briefly, as if they noticed something, but nonetheless accepted. As the two stepped passed Ruby, who moved to the side, the color drained from her face. Before following behind, the heterochromatic eyed girl looked down at her feet, held by a sense of guilt.

Her diagnosis was not as she had explained. She wasn't fine, perhaps the right word was weaker, but she wouldn't let them know. If it could be fixed, she would do it herself before it became an issue.

 **END**


	39. Chapter 39

**Naruto21- was not planning to, no.**

 **Greer123- Ruby won't ever be the same**

 **Guest- thanks**

Chapter 39

" _Eight Tailed Beast._ " Madara thought, sitting motionlessly in the middle of a large green forest. He looked as if he was meditating, or gathering nature energy for some unknown reason. However, he was merely speaking with the second voice in his head.

With that said, he was _far_ from civilization. He travelled on foot, using chakra to turn short steps into long strides, far enough that the closest he was to civilization was at least fifty kilometers. Said civilization was actually a small village existing outside of Vale's borders. It was the minimum that he judged would be suitable for a conversation between he and an incarnation of destruction.

" _Eh? 'hell do you want?_ " a voice replied with an irritated tone.

Such a response was actually not expected, as evidenced by Madara's closed eye twitching. Never before had he been the container of a sentient being, only the Jinchuuriki of the mindless and voiceless Ten Tails.

" _Uh… Nothing_." Madara replied promptly. He wasn't trying to call out to the creature, merely repeating the name rhetorically as he attempted to siphon its chakra. The seal he had created was effective in containment, but evidently not so good at extracting its chakra. The Eight Tails swore that the moment a chance presented itself, it would try to escape. Expecting this goal to be shared amongst all tailed beast he would soon capture, and considering the creatures were entirely composed of chakra, he had made the seal as closed as possible, which only seemed to bite him in the ass.

So far he had the chakra of the Ichibi and the Yonbi, but in limited quantities. Gaining access to the sealed Hachibi's chakra, the way Jinchuuriki's normally did, could be of great benefit. Combining tailed beast chakra with the Mangekyou Sharingan improved its visual prowess and reduced the adverse effects like pain and vision degradation. He witnessed such phenomena many years ago in the Fourth Great Shinobi War.

" _Hey, Bastard. I've been looking into your memories_." the Hachibi called out in an expected level of restraint and subtlety.

" _What?_ " He asked, his lips curving downwards. They could do that? Once again, never having been a jinchuuriki of a tailed beast seemed to spite him.

" _That's a face I don't get to see enough of!_ " the Eight Tails laughed heartily at his captor's expense. Animosity remained between the two—one sided, but aggressive nonetheless. " _Been almost a decade we've been in this world, which is clearly not our own. Whatever space-time ninjutsu Kaguya had used, we were all scattered. Though, it looks like so were you. Your powers, your body, your age, your eyes, scattered. That 'Ruby' girl now has one of your precious eyes, but you haven't done anything about it. How unlike the man who stole his brother's eyes to become stronger eh?_ "

Madara had no response. After all, that wasn't what happened. He was given his brother's, Izuna's, eyes on his deathbed. It was his last gift—a legacy to be carried on by Madara. It was thanks to this sacrifice that his eyes evolved to Eternal, restoring his deteriorating vision and sustaining his status as the rival to the God of Shinobi. Those eyes were _given_ , not stolen. That was the truth, undeniable to anyone who had bore witness.

"Unbelievable _…_ "

Suddenly, a realization struck him. His head lowered with both disappointment and relief. He had been searching for a way to restore his full power, sending clones of himself across the world nearly every day with the hope that one would discover something. Despite that, he only now realized something so obvious. He realized just how much time and energy he had wasted.

" _When I arrived here, I was young and without my mangekyou… I never had Izuna's eyes to begin with._ " He thought to himself, laughing lightly.

" _What're you laughing about?_ " the tailed-beast asked with a curious tone. " _Is it that you've figured something out?_ "

" _Something like that._ "

After arriving in this world, it became very apparent that there were numerous similarities. There were hereditary eyes with special abilities, manipulation of the elements, spiritual and physical energies. Despite that, there were clear differences obvious only to Madara. When his sharingan first evolved into Mangekyou, there was no significant trigger like there should have been. Ruby attained one of the Rinnegan in the way one would gain the Sharingan, extreme emotional distress. Was it possible to "trick" the rules in this world with a similar process?

" _You're planning something evil again, aren't you?_ " The eight tails huffed, figuratively crossing its muscular arms.

Madara opened his blind eye, devoid of any visual prowess, and raised a hand up to his face. There was a brief hesitation, but he proceeded nonetheless. He did what nobody could have expected.

With a quick motion, his hand approached and retracted, taking something with it. Blood leaked out from his re-closed eye, and for ten seconds he waited like that. After the time passed, his eyelid lifted and he reinserted what he removed before closing his eye once more. A calm green flame of chakra covered the location of his experiment, regenerating the severed connections and restoring his eye to full functionality.

Something was changing within him. The chakra that flowed through him was ever so slightly different, yet familiar. He could feel a change coming over him. He opened his eyes and held up his scroll, using the camera as a mirror. The white that plagued his pupil was no more. Its red and black comet-pattern returned, but with an addition. Three black lines connected the comet tails to the edges of his pupil. He smirked pleased as he put away the scroll.. After everything that had been happening recently, a success was much desired.

Madara rose to his feet before making a hand sign. A single Kage Bunshin clone appeared in front of him and drew a kunai. It thrusted forward at him, but he dodged easily. There was a slight difference this time. His evasion felt more fluid than any of his movements in his fights before.

" _Perfect._ " Madara exhaled, smiling as the clone exploded into smoke. His hand unconsciously moved again towards his other un-evolved eye. He performed the same process he had with the other removing and re-inserting his eye, but there was no effect. " _Perhaps the requirement is blindness, as it was in the past. I may not get the same result however. For now I'll refrain from a second attempt._ "

Madara reached down for his scroll once again, checking the time. It was just after the middle of the afternoon.

" _Returning to Beacon would not take long._ " Madara thought, looking at the setting sun indifferently.

" _Or you could go looking around the world._ " He heard the voice of his Tailed beast once more, causing him to raise a suspicious eyebrow.

" _Being stuck in a big white box while not being able to move made me extremely bored. At least with a Jinchuuriki, I can see things, even if it's with the last person I'd ever want as a Jinchuuriki. It'll also be a chance for me to see the world I'll soon be inhabiting, after I've killed you that is._ "

Madara chuckled to himself momentarily, understanding the creature's goals. He had spent a considerable amount of time himself being confined to a small space. After losing to Hashirama at the Valley of the End, he spent decades disconnected from the world.

" _I have time._ " Madara thought, closing his scroll and turning in the direction of the village fifty kilometers away.

" _You've… you're different from before, aren't you? Though, you'll never change enough._ " The Eight Tails said to itself as it resumed its pass time of sifting through his memories while waiting for a window of escape.

* * *

 **Next Day**

* * *

An airborne arena, a floating colosseum, and a massive amount of people from across the world had suddenly occupied Vale. The promised day had finally arrived. It was the beginning of a long awaited week; the Vytal Festival.

The Vytal Festival was an international tradition eight decades old. It existed as a reminder to the world, a memorial for those that lost their lives in the Great War. Consequently, it was named after the island of Vytal, where the world's bloodiest and most brutal war had officially come to an end.

The festival itself was a biennial event, occurring once every two years, in which a tournament would be held. Students from every kingdom regardless of year or composition, participated as representatives of their respective nations. For the fortieth festival, Vale was the host. Students and tourists alike flooded to the great kingdom. The hotels and markets, even the small or mediocre, made fortunes during this momentous occasion. The tournament, of course, was the main attraction and most prominent reason for attendance.

* * *

 **Amity Colosseum**

* * *

The Colosseum was unlike any other. What one would probably expect was for each kingdom to have their own facility, opening for business when the time came. They would be sorely mistaken. Put simply, the Amity Colosseum could fly. Using a vast amount of gravity dust, in their powder and crystal forms, the arena was capable of rendering and remaining airborne independently. Furthermore it was capable of traversing any climate, even the ocean conceded defeat to its might.

On the inside, the majority of space was unsurprisingly taken up by the arena and spectator rows. Hundreds if not thousands flooded into the colosseum to find their seats. It was a miracle that even the likes of team RWBY managed to remain as one whilst traversing the rapid sea of ambling bodies. Fortunately, they were blessed with a semblance which benefited from friendly fire, and the ingenuitive minds that could utilize this exploit. Perhaps it could be replicated when their turn to fight came.

Eventually, they managed to find their seats, four designated to them alone. By complete coincidence, what awaited the four were four pleasant surprises respectively. Their fellow first years, their sister team, team JNPR had already been seated right beside them.

"Oh hey guys! You're sitting next to us?" Nora was the first to speak, her elated expression speaking for the rest of her team.

"Yep. I guess luck's on our side." Ruby replied with a sarcastic smile, glancing back at her tired sister and teammates. Yang slumped back into her seat, as if melting into the red cushions. Understandably so, as she had been their metaphorical and literal muscle that braved the storm in order to bring them here. Weiss was in the midst of applying earplugs to herself and _subtly_ handing two pairs to Blake. It was a precautionary measure for the both of them, as events like this was bound to get loud and fast. The Faunus continued to hide her ears, for _other_ reasons than usual.

"Anyways, looks like you guys made it here faster than we did." Ruby switched the subject to team JNPR, who looked to be in a better condition. It wasn't quite clear how though. Even if they had Nora, she was only about as strong as Yang was.

"Pyrrha and Ren suggested we find an early ride. It only took a _little_ convincing and Nora to get one of the pilots to agree, but looking at you four, it was worth it." He answered, a look of pride spread across his face. Conversely, a look of failure and regret reached the girls of team RWBY. Somewhere deep in the back of Ruby's mind, she could faintly hear a forgotten suggestion from Weiss to do this exact same thing. However, it could have just as easily been her imagination.

Whatever the truth was, it didn't matter anymore. They had accomplished their one and only goal. All they had left was to enjoy the spectacles soon to be. All around the eight, seats were being filled. In only a few minutes, all rows were completely filled without a single empty spot. If they were maybe a semester younger the question of "where is Madara?" may have been asked, but they were all more than used to the absence. Whether he was present or not didn't matter in this case. They were here to enjoy the fights after all, and that was what they were going to do.

After a minute or two, the crowd settled and fell quiet. Directly above the arena, four large screen monitors powered on. Broadcasted onto the screens were two of Beacon's professors: Port and Oobleck. They sat behind a large desk with two microphones. In other words, they were the commentators for the tournament.

"This thing is on right?... ah, yes. Ahem, hello and welcome to all who have managed to make it out here!" Professor Port's voice boomed from the built in speakers, just as booming and boisterous as ever. "As you hopefully know; this is the fortieth Biennial Vytal Festival!" the crowd cheered at his proclamation.

"Yes yes it is quite a momentous occasion if I may say. In fact I do believe this will be the most memorable festival of them all!" Oobleck added, his unusually quick pace throwing three quarters of the audience off guard.

"We shall see, Barty we shall indeed see… Now while our first contestants finish preparations, for those of you watching and who may have forgotten, allow us to enlighten you all on the rules you may have forgotten." he smiled brightly, turning his head to Oobleck. Inexplicable to the majority, a large portion of Beacon's students sighed with a sense of relief. For as fast as Oobleck spoke, it was always on track.

"Thank you very much." Oobleck nodded energetically, adjusting his glasses and taking a deep breath. "The tournament has been divided into three brackets each of which to test teamwork, adaptability, and self reliance. The year and academy in which a team hails from is not a contributing factor in deciding who will combat who. All that matters will be skill built from the countless hours spent training. Should the odds decide, a fourth year team may face off against a first year from the same school. The first round will consist of team versus team and continue until the number of contestants is only half the size. At which each team will elect two members to move onto the second round. Finally, once only a quarter of the original competitors remains, the final round will be entirely duels. Ultimately the last man standing will be given a prize in recognition for their efforts, one to share with their comrades. What prize you might ask? The power to make a single request of the four kingdoms. Be it a monetary prize, a mansion, or an honorary title, or perhaps even a holiday? The choice falls to the winner and their team."

"That's right, and here come the first to make the harrowing attempt! I present to you, all the way from Mistral's Haven Academy, Team ABRN!" he shouted, throwing his hands in the air cheerfully.

The audience let out an ecstatic roar as four students emerged from one of the entranceways. Led by a dark skinned girl dressed in yellow The four waved to their colleagues and classmates as they approached central platform. With weapons in hand, it was as if they were some kind of models put on display. After about two minutes, the noise died down and introductions continued.

"And their first challengers… ohohohoh! This will be quite an interesting one." He said, pity and excitement intertwined in his voice. "Excuse me, I was a bit unprofessional there… From our very own Beacon Academy, Team PNNK!"

Just as the first time an immaculately timed cheer filled the colosseum, growing louder as every second passed. Four second year students walked out steadily and silently. An unarmed boy in light padding, a faunus wearing animal-print knuckles, a boy with arms covered in golden cloth, and an abnormally small girl with an abnormally massive weapon. The last of whom would make Ruby Rose, the fifteen year old, seem to fit right in.

The team reached the central platform, each standing about fifteen meters from the center. Idle chatter ensued between the teams, words of encouragement and playful taunting that was to be expected from an event like this, but incoherent to anyone from the seats..

"Now that our competitors have been acquainted, let us begin the Arena-Selection process." Port announced, hitting a button on his side of the desk.

There was a short but loud beep that came from the monitors. The screens switched from the commentators to a graphic displaying two banners and a colored symbol in each of them. Like slot machines, the icons rapidly flickered between countless colors and insignias, each representing a different element. After ten seconds they slowed and stopped on light blue and orange. As they did, the majority of the arena began to move and descend. Soon, they were replaced by the appropriate landscapes. Half of the arena became a glacial tundra, the other becoming an active lava bed, of course, these were two of many different climates simulated through the use of dust. It was an addition to "spice up" the matches to add an element of unpredictability. If luck was on one's side, they would obtain a favorable climate that would compliment themselves at the expense of their opponents.

"It seems that a combination of the Tundra and Volcanic regions has been selected. This will be dangerous for both teams, as the teams will have to deal with the lack of traction or unpredictable activity of the heat vents. One misstep may easily determine a loser." Oobleck smiled devilishly. The graphic on the monitors changed once again. Eight names and green bars appeared on a blue background, one for each contestant. They represented the fighters and their aura.

"Lastly, a friendly reminder of the rules. Being thrown out of bounds and having your aura reduced to fifteen percent or lower are grounds for disqualification. It goes without saying that it is against the rules to attack an opponent who has already met either of these conditions. Now, without further ado, what you all have been waiting for!" Port shouted, a grin of anticipation lying just below his moustache.

The countdown began from ten, then to nine, then eight, so on and so forth until it reached one. A buzzer rung, signalling the beginning of their battle.

 **END**


	40. Chapter 40

**DBZFanboy16- yeah no, I won't write out every single fight in the entire tournament, that would be painful and boring… hey kinda like rwby volume 3… and 4 and 5 and 1 and 2**

 **The Jingo- my goal is that the disconnected bits will culminate in the tournament arc. Everything happening with Salem's group, Roman, Team RWBY, the OCs, etc.**

 **Guest- whatever reason you think is probably better than mine.**

Chapter 40

* * *

 **Western Sanus**

* * *

"Yeah, it's me. The last charge is set and we're heading out," Roman Torchwick declared into his scroll. After a few seconds, his shoulders lowered in frustration. "Please remind me again why we have to do this part? Doesn't your boss have its own IT guy?" He glanced behind him towards Neo and Penny. "Fine, I get it. We're still in." Without another second passing, he pocketed his scroll and sighed harshly.

Neo approached him with a concerned frown and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"One last job and we're done with all this. Penny, we're going to need a lot from you this time." He turned to the orange haired girl. "Our employer wants Atlas' robot army for the next step of their plan. Being more 'up to date' than Neo here is, you probably have the keys—or can at least find them."

The girl hesitated to nod, looking back through her memory banks. What was being asked of her was to betray her very own country—the place where she was built. Could she do that? No. More importantly, _should_ she? After all, she was _built_. Her country didn't care for her. It probably had already created another version of her. Even after all of this time, she heard nothing from Madara.

" _I have no attachments,_ " Penny thought, looking down at her disguised metal hands. Her own existence was upsetting—a reminder that she was replaceable. She turned her gaze to Roman and her older sister, nodding harshly. Despite that, he didn't smile like he had always done before. It was surprising, but appropriate. He was a criminal and a murderer yes, but his humanity remained. Taking lives unnecessarily was something he had forbade from the very beginning. To go back on his own word, ironically enough, was not something even he would be willing to do. Even so, there seemed to be no other choice.

Penny began a wireless transfer, forwarding a massive amount of data from herself to Roman's scroll. While she did, the three headed towards an airship. From there, they would reach their last destination: the Colosseum.

* * *

 **Amity Colosseum**

* * *

"I knew second years were tough, but this is a bit much." Yang thought, speaking on behalf of her own team.

They nodded silently, each having vague memories of their own encounters with second years. Although, none of them had ever directly engaged in battle against them. Of their quartet, Ruby was the only one who could say she "fought" against one of these four. Even then, Pum had made no move against her or Penny.

" _Penny..._ "

Remembering the long lost girl, Ruby frowned. They did not know each other for long, but even so, her presence was missed.

Ruby then shook her head of those thoughts. It wasn't the time to worry about her. More importantly, this was time to enjoy the fight and prepare for theirs.

The audience watched with wide eyes, barely remaining on their seats. They cheered and gasped with every clean hit landed, but unfortunately for Mistral's students, most of those hits were landed by Team PNNK.

The knuckles that Neko wore were fueled by dust, creating anything from electric claws to fiery projectiles. Their lightweight material maximized his speed and his feline faunus heritage granted superhuman agility that surpassed even team RWBY's own faunus. The speed that his knuckles could switch between elements made his attack patterns difficult to predict.

On the polar opposite side, there was Ness and her weapon. The weapon was wide enough that it could cast a shadow over its owner's entire body. An electric current flowed through the edges of the fan-like weapon, which was held sideways every time she swung. Though seemingly uncontrollable for someone of her stature, the girl used the weight and momentum to her advantage.

Pum and Kari remained on the defensive and only seemed to fight with martial arts. It was on purpose, without a doubt. All first years that watched the two specifically had silently agreed that the two must have been conserving themselves. Surely primitive throws and sweeps couldn't be the full arsenal of second year students. However, this choice was more than just a way to keep themselves from getting exhausted.

Fellow more experienced students instantly realized this course of action. Their reluctance to show off anything in particular was a clear indication that they would be elected for the next round. This way, their team could win the match while keeping their cards close to their chest.

"Those armlets are likely weapons," Ren announced with a flat tone, eyeing the golden wrappings. On closer inspection, Kari would block attacks with his forearms, each collision causing sparks to fly or loud metal resonations. As opposed to Pum, who made the slightest adjustments to redirect any attacks pointed at him.

"I think we could take them," Nora proclaimed confidently. "I mean, we have _the_ Pyrrha Nikos, Ren is practically a ninja, I can bench more than five of me, and Jaune got a bunch of upgrades so now he can—" A hand covered her mouth before she could finish her sentence.

"Nora you're not supposed to tell anyone!" Jaune pleaded frantically. After a moment, Nora looked down at her leader's hand, and made some kind of sound. He retracted his hand faster than any human could have possibly seen. To call it teleportation wouldn't have done it justice. However it was clear by his attempt to wipe his hand across the ground, and Nora's open mouth, that she had done something rather childish. Those who watched this little skit couldn't help but laugh at the ordreal.

"Actually we still haven't seen anything from you," Ruby chimed in, tilting forward to make eye contact with her fellow leader. Jaune chuckled half-heartedly.

"Well, there's a reason for that after all," Jaune replied, looking away from the petite girl.

"Oh I get it. You've been preparing for this tournament and didn't want to show anyone, since it'd be a risk, right?" She determined,

"That's exactly it!" the blonde quickly confirmed, his startled face betraying his words, Ruby stared at Jaune briefly, shrugging it off quickly.

It was not the actual reason, but was an unintentionally good save by Ruby. The true cause for his secrecy had stemmed from a lack of confidence. The complex that plagued his life had yet to fully disappear. He worried that his weapon wouldn't be as effective as he had hoped the upgrades would make it, or that he lacked proficiency. After all, he had only spent a few weeks training with what was essentially a brand new weapon. Even more so, the practice he had with his team could only go so far. As if to act as silver lining, the current match guaranteed that his team would not have to cross the team whom his "blacksmith" belonged to.

" _That girl is quick, but if I freeze that weapon to the ground…_ " Weiss theorized, devoting time to each of her seniors. " _I should test that with Ruby—if it'd work on her, it should work on this girl as well. Even if she's accounted for the loss of her weapon, it would still be a major loss… Actually now that I think about it, Ruby manages to run and swing Crescent rose without using the recoil. I never noticed how strong she must be… I'll look into it another time though._ " She nodded to herself confidently, looking towards Kari and his golden wrappings. " _If they really are gold, or some kind of metal, electricity should work—_ " Suddenly, her train of thought was jostled by a bump to the shoulder.

"I can see those gears running y'know," Yang said, letting out a chuckle while retracting her hand from Weiss. "Just relax and enjoy the show. If you try to break down every single fight, you'll burn out."

Weiss paused on Yang's statement, before slowly melting back into the chair. Simply being able to _"enjoy"_ something wasn't a luxury she grew up with as a child. "Right… Thanks, Yang," she said, remembering that she was no longer under the influence of her father felt as if an oppressive heat escaped her body and her mind. If possible, she may have wanted to repeat the process of forgetting and remembering just to relive the sense of relief. But of course, memory could not be erased like so.

Three members of team ABRN were defeated, thrown out of bounds by Neko and Ness. However, it was the match-finishing move that seemed to catch the audience's eye the most. With one remaining enemy, the two carriers of their team disengaged and the four regrouped. Pum approached Arslan, team ABRN's leader, alone while cupping a hand over his fist and standing perfectly still for five seconds. The aura meter corresponding to him inexplicably dropped by six percent. He thrusted his fist forward, as if taunting the girl with the twenty meters between them. Yet, despite how far apart they were, Arslan suddenly fell backwards. Her aura, gauge had just a quarter remaining when all of the sudden, that twenty five became an eight, far below the safe range.

The crowd went silent with a unanimous gasp. Disbelief and awe filled the voiceless mouths of the audience, Weiss was far from the only person analyzing the fighters, hoping to find any and all weaknesses in the victors. This took them for a loop. How could they process something so impossible? The best theory that anyone could put together was that whatever Pum had done, it required aura. Even then, it costed a miniscule amount considering the results. Could it be blocked? Could it be avoided? Could it be countered? Those were the questions circulating everyone's minds.

"A-ahem… And _that_ , ladies and gentlemen, concludes the first match of round one," Professor Port forced out of his hair-covered face, pulling everyone back into reality. What followed was a slow but gradual round of applause and cheer. As if it wasn't a crushing victory, the second years supported and escorted the losers out of the arena. The graphics on the board moved once more, signifying the promotion of team PNNK to the next round.

"Now, we will determine the next teams before taking a short fifteen minute break. " Oobleck announced. The screens flashed again, returning to its roulette-like selection board. The two teams that were next to face each other were Team NDGO of Vacuo and Team SSSN of Haven.

"That's the team Sun belongs to!" Ruby said, smiling excitedly. Excluding the rest of his team, Ruby had caught a glimpse of Sun's fighting ability. She eagerly awaited the chance to see him in action again, now with a much clearer view. Surely the others shared the same sentiment. A match between students of equal footing would be more interesting compared to the quickly-ended battle that just concluded.

"Well, if you'll excuse me, I need to use the bathroom." Weiss stiid up and crossed the sea of bodies alone.

" _There was more to that right? There was something nobody saw, I know something was wrong. Did Ruby notice too?_ "

She wondered this as she continued to the exit. It was inexplicable, the feeling that permeated her heart. During the finishing stroke, it was as if she felt emptiness. A void appeared and disappeared, a life flickered on and off. For the slightest moment, it felt as if a Grimm was nearby. That should have been impossible though, a Grimm couldn't reach the Colosseum.

* * *

 **Elsewhere**

* * *

"Here you go." A old man in a red apron said, handing a bowl of noodles to his customer.

" _What… in the world is this man?_ " Madara wondered, thinking back to how often he had seen this man in different places. First, he was running the dust shop that was robbed. Another time, he was driving an armored truck. Now, he was running a fourth noodle restaurant. On top of that, his speed was ridiculous for his age. He couldn't have been any less than eighty years old. What kind of vitality did this shopkeeper have in his prime?

"Y'know, I think I've seen your face before, a long time ago." The old man said, leaning on the table between him and Madara.

"Is that so." Madara replied, picking up a pair of chopsticks and starting on his food.

"Yep. I don't think I could ever forget." he smiled, as if they were old friends that reunited after years. "I wasn't too sure at first, but now I'm certain it's you, the legendary Madara Uchiha."

Suddenly the chopsticks in his hands fell to the table. His sharingan activated and the black haired boy flinched. He could see a fluid-like blue substance running through the man's body. It was minute, but it was present.

"Sharingan, it's been a very long time since I saw those, but even at my age I remember them well." The man chuckled. Normally any non-Uchiha who recognized these eyes would be intimidated, but this man had not a single shred of fear in him. That was clear as the red eyes reverted to black. "I bet you're wondering. Well, there's not much to think about. The last time we met… the Warring States. We crossed once, when I was just a kid and you were head of your clan. The great Madara Uchiha killed my entire squad, my friends whom I cherished, but you let me live for some reason. You said something, but I couldn't remember what."

"How are you here." Madara asked with a relaxed tone. Speaking as if he was interrogating this man would do nothing. It actually felt relaxing, but that acknowledgement would never show on his face.

"I've been asking myself that for many, many years." The old man sighed.

"After I returned to my clan, I spent night after night trying to think of a way to get revenge on you. I couldn't let go even after you were announced dead. After hearing about the many jutsu the second Hokage invented, I tried to think of a way to bring you back and face you again. Obviously, that never worked out."

He laughed again, turning around to pour himself a cup of some yellow liquid.

"One day I managed to get a scroll with the Hiraishin no Jutsu's mark. I tried experimenting, and then it went horribly wrong. After that, I ended up in this place. Even more crazy, I was just a little kid. By the looks of it, you had a similar experience."

It was just as he said. He didn't know how specifically, but he was stripped of the majority of his powers when he had arrived. However, this conversation gave him an idea.

The Hiraishin no Jutsu, the second and fourth Hokage's signature techniques, was a space-time ninjutsu. After placing a special seal on any solid object of sufficient size, you could teleport to it regardless of distance. It won Konohagakure, the village Madara co-founded, the Third Shinobi World War. it was instantaneous and with enough proficiency, the chakra cost was minimal.

Unfortunately, it likely would never find its use in Madara Uchiha. He never learned the technique or the correct seals. Even if he decided to attempt recreating the technique, it would be a drain on time and resources. He quickly discarded the idea of using the technique as a means to return to his homeworld. At least, the subject was meaningless until he re-attained the missing tailed beasts and his rinnegan. Suddenly, a question came up in his mind.

"Why haven't you tried to return?" Madara asked. Though the Uchiha himself certainly didn't, this man may have had a family or even friends.

"Oh believe me, I've tried a few hundred times. Sadly, it wasn't possible. No matter what, I couldn't get the technique to work again. Even worse, the scroll got destroyed one day, and that was it. Pretty dumb of me not to memorize the seal." He took another gulp of his drink. "Besides, after all this time, I'm sure there's nothing for me to go back to. I'm happy with the life I have here. Life here is more than just fighting until you're dead. Of course, as long as you're not a Huntsman." He smiled again, a slight tinge of red spreading on his face. The yellow substance was alcohol and, whether it was the concentration or his tolerance, he seemed to be a lightweight.

Watching the man pour another cup gave the Uchiha a certain revelation, an idea to be sure. He had been in this world for nine years, and this world had less than favorable laws. However, they were from the same place. "I'll take a drink." Madara said, placing a stack of lien on the table.

The old man laughed hard, before nodding. In less than a second, he popped in and out of the room behind him and held two cups. Each was filled nearly to the brim, making even Madara wonder how none managed to spill. It was evident that this man's superhuman speed was definitely the Shunshin no jutsu.

Now, an onlooker watching the two may have _rightfully_ assumed he was serving alcohol to a minor, but fortunately there were no such bystanders. It was just the two, remnants from another world.

"Who _were_ you? For me to have spared you, you must have had some kind of value to me." Madara asked, taking the glass handed to him.

"Quite honestly I couldn't recall. I'm not a shinobi anymore, I'm Shopkeep. That's what everyone calls me at least." He answered, raising his glass for a toast. He retracted it, noticing that the glass Madara held was already upside down and losing its contents rapidly. He shrugged, as he was about to do the same. "Actually, now that I look back, I can't seem to remember anything eighty years back. Maybe it's just my age finally getting to me."

" _Eighty years?_ " Madara asked himself, a puzzled look growing on his face. He recalled a time where he had read a chapter in Beacon's history books. Rather, a time he _couldn't_ read a section detailing eighty years ago. As odd as it was, it happened multiple times. What happened eighty years ago, before the great war?

 **END**


	41. Chapter 41

**Sorry for late uploading lately, rwby volume 6 is out and I've kinda gotten distracted. Learning about Salem's immortality and magic has been... enlightening. I will be sticking with the canon I had before volume 6 released though.**

Chapter 41

The stage was set. The two sides of the arena changed once again. The chosen environments were dense jungle and tropical beachside.

With the sound of the buzzer, the second battle of the day began. No more than a few seconds in, the first move was made and a clear difference could be seen. Unlike the first match, these were even in experience by measurement of years, and had skill comparable to one another. At the very least, anyone would agree that this wasn't a one-sided fight.

Sun Wukong, leader of team SSSN, lead the charge in close combat. He was agile thanks to both his heritage and the staff he wielded seemed to compliment him rather well. He seemed to have a better connection to his animalistic side than Blake, but not to the degree of the second year Neko. his animal instincts meshed with his formal training, creating a powerful combination.

Acting as Sun's partner and suppressing fire was Neptune Vasilias, a boy with bright blue hair and a dust-powered energy rifle. Beside him were the other two members of their team, Scarlet and Sage.

Their team strategy was a simple one. While Sun acted as their sole attacker, Neptune and Scarlet would use their firearms to apply pressure from a distance. Sage would protect the two should one of their enemies target them. A strategy like this was easily recognized and could be counteracted. Fortunately, luck was on their side.

Amongst team NDGO, only one had a particularly ranged weapon: a girl with a crossbow. The other three had a spear, a dagger, and throwing knives. Said knives were rather slow compared to the other projectiles flying across the field, and were easily intercepted or blocked against by melee weapons.

It felt like this should have been the opening match, and felt as much to the audience. All it took was a look at Sun's bright eyed expression to see the life that their fight had.

"Looks like you should take a few notes from this guy." Yang quipped, making a light jab at her partner.

Blake leaned away embarrassed, but not too far as doing so would bring her closer to Nora. Perhaps being in between the two most energetic members of the sister teams was more pitiable than the secret she tried to hide.

She sighed quietly, rolling her eyes dismissively. "Whatever."

Yang grinned in response, turning her attention back to the fight.

"That Neptune guy looks like he's having fun, even though he's kinda just kneeling there," Ruby said, looking at the bluenette's smile.

"He's… having fun I suppose," Weiss deadpanned as she too noticed his look.

He wasn't smiling in admiration for Sun, who was praiseworthy in his ability to handle three attackers at once. Weiss recognized, from past experience, that he was looking at the girls… which was to say that he seemed quite fond of them. Subsequently, she began to notice just how many of his shots seemed to be just narrowly missing their targets. So much so that it almost felt intentional. The pre-fight banter he started with the girls, which she couldn't hear, finally made sense.

Her opinion of the boy immediately declined as well. She shuddered to think of what his field-work was like if this was how he acted during something as important as the Vytal festival.

Pushing the flirt aside, she noticed the control Sage had over his greatsword. Typically, huntsmen would either carry lightweight weapons like Weiss' rapier or Sun's staff. Others would use the weight of heavier weapons to increase speed and power like Ruby. Sage, who wielded a greatsword, should have fallen into the latter category. Instead, he appeared to be in complete control of the moment of this large blade. As if it was just a shortsword, he handled the sword almost perfectly despite not appearing very muscular. If nothing else, his one shortcoming was a lack of range. The greatsword had reach, but he had no firearms. Weiss wondered why this was.

However, her answer quickly made itself clear. The girl that wielded a spear pointed the head to the ground and created three small tornados. The three quickly made their way towards Sage, but the boy was unafraid. An orange light glew from the middle of the blade's body, and he swung hard. A thin wave of flame leapt out of the blade, snuffing out all three tornados in one fell swoop. It vaguely reminded Weiss of the dust revolver her rapier used to have.

Suddenly, the audienced collectively gasped with surprise and excitement. The three that fought against Sun attacked simultaneously,striking at the middle of the boy's pole weapon. It quickly gave way, but not because it was broken. The staff quickly transformed, separating further into four pieces. The four were in pairs, connected by golden chains. In other words, the boy's staff was now a pair of nunchucks. Along with the change in weapons came a change in fighting style. In other words, the Faunus boy was taking the fight more seriously now.

Things started escalating rapidly. Neptune and Scarlet took the offensive, supporting Sun on the front lines. Having reserved themselves until now, the girls of the opposing team were unable to adapt to the sudden change quickly enough. By splitting the fight into four one on ones, team SSSN held the upper hand as long as they needed to secure a place in the next round.

Compared to the previous match, it was a close fight. If not for the offense-defense strategy they employed, team SSSN may not have succeeded. Fortunately they managed to come out victorious and subsequently earned a win for Haven Academy. It was definitely something their school could use, after their prior defeat.

Three more fights went by, one in which included an old acquaintance of team RWBY. Luna White had participated, just as she said she would during the exchange. Both Ruby and Weiss were relieved to see that their nigh-albino friend was in a positive condition. There wasn't a single trace of whatever caused her to go berserk before. Ruby could still see the orange substance within her body when she focused, but it was clear that it was kept under control,.

However, after those three matches, the announcers declared the end of the fights for the day. Over the course of the next two days, the first round would conclude and the tag teams could begin. First up tomorrow was Team JNPR and Team BRNZ of Vacuo's Shade Academy. Until then, it was time to eat.

* * *

 **Fair Grounds**

* * *

"So what do you girls want to eat?" Yang asked, happily leading the four around around the local area.

As was expected for a time of celebration such as the Vytal Festival, a massive area was occupied in order to accommodate the visitors. The fairgrounds took up about six square kilometers, filled with booths offering a wide variety of goods. Passerbys could eat, play games, buy or souvenirs as they chose. Thankfully, it was just big enough to house the temporary occupants.

"Fish?" Blake suggested subconsciously, prompting her friends to crack up in laughter. Her face was slowly saturated by the red of blood, putting her embarrassment on display.

Weiss, being the most reserved of the four, was the first to quiet down and speak. "That sounds like a good idea though. I've had sushi only a handful of times."

"Oh yeah, there's a sushi stand close by. Everyone grab my hands." Ruby commanded, pressing her feet into the ground.

The girls looked at her for e moment, glancing at one another. They shrugged, silently giving the exact same answer of _"why not"_. They held close to Ruby, and they were off. That is to say, they _would_ have been off if Ruby could manage the weight of three passengers. Unfortunately she couldn't, and the four were eating the ground about ten meters from their starting point.

"Alright… never doing that… again." Yang groaned as she removed herself from the grassy dirt. Blake's bow, and the cat ears underneath, twitched in agreement. Weiss, to the surprise of her team, was relatively untouched. Unlike her half-buried friends, she remained on her feet. "How...?" Yang began to ask with a confused look before noticing the black glyph beneath Weiss' high heels.

"It pays to be prepared." She said, smiling mischievously while extending a hand to Yang. Figuring out the meaning behind the look, Yang's jaw dropped in disbelief. She realized that the heiress may, or rather must have, known that this would happen in order to catch herself the way she did. It was hard to believe that Weiss of all people was capable of doing such a thing. She couldn't help but be proud of her friend.

"On second thought, let's just walk there." Ruby suggested, giving a self-deprecatingly dry laugh.

Her team nodded as she got to her feet.

"Uh, Blake, do you know where the fish place is?"

"Yeah, follow me." Blake answered, taking out her scroll from her back pocket. At the entranceway to the fairgrounds, those who entered could download a map of the area to their scrolls. Every member of their team had a copy, particularly for the sake of the team's sisters.

The four quickly made their way to their destination, it was a small booth with a deep green rooftop. A small sign hung from its front, the words _"Any Fin Goes"_ written on it. However it seemed that they weren't the first to decide on this restaurant to eat at. Sitting in one of the barstools was Luna, apparently without any of her team members.

As Team RWBY approached, the near-albino girl noticed and turned her head. Her green eyes lit up, as did her smile. She waved to the group excitedly. "Hey!"

"Luna!" Ruby exclaimed, dashing to meet her friend face to face. "It's been so long, how have you been? After we all went home we didn't hear a thing from you."

"I've been fine. I don't quite remember that day, just that we were trying to evacuate students. I know something bad happened, but thus far nothing has really happened. Sorry if I caused you any worry" Luna said, tilting her head downward.

"Oh no, it's fine." Ruby held her hands up with an embarrassed smile. "We're just glad you're alright… actually, where'd your team go?"

"Oh, they've all gone off to do their own thing. In Shade Academy, we are taught to act autonomously. Teams exists so that we're able to work with others, but the main priority is self-sufficiency. It's a part of our society to act alone." Luna answered, shrugging dismissively. The four stared at her with puzzled looks.

None of the four had ever been to Vacuo, nor did they have a clear understanding of its culture. History class with Oobleck was beneficial, but rarely did he mention their current society. In Atlas, common values were conformity and cooperation. The unification of the military and school was a clear sign of that. Patch, and by extension Vale, believed in teamwork in small groups. That was the reason teams were made of four members.

"Doesn't that get lonely?" Ruby asked, frowning concerned.

Luna shook her head in response, as if she was used to hearing that question. "Sometimes, but we are from Vacuo. It makes more sense to be less attached to things, in turn making us less reliant on others. Shade's motto is 'Every pawn is a queen'. In our initiation, our scrolls and lien were taken and we were scattered across the continent and told to find our own ways to return. At our school, third and fourth years are able to take on missions if they want to."

Teamwork was a key lesson taught, rather drilled in almost to the point of irritation, at Beacon. While it wasn't uncommon for graduates to separate from their team and have solo careers, it wasn't uncommon for them to stay in teams. They both had their advantages and disadvantages unsurprisingly. Shade's individual-first mentality seemed to be the perfect antithesis of Atlas Academy. It was certainly a first for all of them, but also familiar in other aspects.

"Well you don't mind if we join you right?" Yang chimed in.

"Of course you can sit with me. I don't _dislike_ being around others." Luna laughed wholeheartedly. Team RWBY did just as Luna offered, taking to four of the stools to her side.

"Are you sure that you're alright?" Ruby asked one more time as the others ordered their lunches.

Luna nodded again, her smile unwavering. "I'm positive. Well, at least nothing's happened so far. I'd consider that a good thing. When something comes up, I'll figure something out."

Ruby exhaled in relief, watching the girl drink from a glass of water.

"But, Ruby, are _you_ doing alright?"

"Of course! Couldn't be better!" Ruby answered back quickly but Luna stared as if unconvinced.

"Well, if that's how it is… I really can't say anything." Luna shrugged, her cheery tone having vanished.

An odd feeling came over Ruby, one that felt as if the world around her and Luna had frozen. However, Ruby couldn't tell if it was the product of a semblance or not.

"It's a little hypocritical of me to say this, but whatever's bothering you, you should trust your team. They're good people."

"Thanks, Luna, but I'll be fine. It's nothing I can't handle." Ruby responded, almost as if she was reassuring herself more than her friend.

The feeling of isolation vanished as suddenly as it appeared. Simultaneously, a certain old man appeared with four large bowls in hand.

"Oh yeah, by the way Luna, I wanted to ask," Yang said, leaning back to talk directly. "What's _your_ semblance? We never saw you use it during your fight."

"Oh? Well… you see…" Luna averted her eyes. "I kind of don't have one…"

Team RWBY was silent, staring blankly at Luna. Yang was the first to speak, albeit disbelievingly. "Uh… I'm sorry, could you say that again? You _don't_ have a semblance?"

"Everyone's born with some kind of semblance. On rare occasions, it's hereditary." Weiss manifested a glyph in her hand. "Which is to say, sometimes it's a minor ability but it's still more or less _there_. Are you sure it may not just be something vestigial?"

Luna quickly responded with a shake of her head "I definitely don't, and I'm certain. It's because… I gave it up."

"You _what_?" A collective reply came out from the four listeners

"I showed you all before what I can do when we last met," Luna began, creating a small explosion of aura in her raised hand. It harmed nothing, existing only for display purposes. "I said that it was a form that lets me use Aura like a weapon, but I suppose that didn't explain things well enough. The technique we use doesn't just weaponize aura, but the soul itself. The cost of which is the semblance. My Sensei had this… _philosophy_ , I guess you could say. He believed that the soul was against taking any other life and the semblance reflects that desire in some sort of way. To change the soul, you'd have to change that desire, or rather you'd have to get rid of it…" The white haired girl lowered her hand, sighing to herself and laughing dryly. "It's a little funny to think about. Without my healing, I'm little more than just a living weapon… In a way, I'm not too different from the Grimm—just some kind of destroyer."

Almost immediately upon finishing her sentence, Luna watched as Ruby's hands gripped hers. It was faster than Luna could track, let alone react to. Without an intervening word, the two were locking eyes. The fierce look Ruby had across her face was something akin to disbelief, or rather a rejection.

"That's not true! You're nothing like the Grimm," Ruby all but shouted. "Even if you're a little different than the average, you're still just a person like we are. That won't ever change. It's not what you're made of that matters. It's who you are!" As if it was nothing out of the ordinary, the three behind their team leader nodded in agreement.

Luna was in some state of shock, apparently unused to this kind of interaction. There was a slight glimmer in her eyes, but they vanished with a simple blink and shake of the head. Without a word she nodded energetically, looking like she was about to cry.

"I'm sorry, it's just been a long time since… I guess I do miss actual company sometimes…" Luna pulled her hands back and fixed some of her stray hairs. The smile returned to her face, as did the life in her voice. "Anyways, enough with this sappy stuff. I'm actually really anxious over the tournament. I've never seen you work together as a team before and I can't wait to see Team RWBY in action. Actually, it'd have been the best for our teams to have a match against each other."

"Sounds like something we could do after the festival!" Yang suggested, cracking her knuckles with an eager look. "You gave Weiss a run for her money, I'd love to have a round with you." Unbeknownst to Yang, a quiet snicker came from behind her. Specifically, it came from Blake, a fan of a _particular_ genre of books. As quiet and composed as she presented herself, she couldn't help but break on occasion.

Perhaps it was because she was disconnected that Blake had let her attention wander off. For when she looked away towards the many moving bodies, she noticed someone familiar coming towards them. She looked puzzled, questioning why the person she saw was approaching them.

"Madara?" She said, catching the ears of the four beside her. They all looked at the faunus, then to the direction she faced.

"Hey!" Ruby waved energetically.

"Hello." Madara replied back as he came closer, which caused team RWBY to flinch.

" _Am I… is this a dream?_ " Weiss asked herself, her eyes wide and remaining on the Uchiha, the sentiment was shared among the team. Having years of company under their belts, Ruby and Yang had been long since accustomed to greeting and receiving no reply from their step brother. Weiss and Blake hadn't as much experience, but they didn't need it to have the same grasp.

Yang raised a curious eyebrow "So what are you doing here? Where were you today?"

"Busy." He answered, brandishing his—no longer blank— the blonde. However, it wasn't just for show. With his sharingan active, he also peered at Luna and the chakra inside of her. " _The four tails is still within her. That saves me time._ " He thought, exhaling relieved.

" _Are you really planning to kill these kids' friend?_ " The Eight Tails asked in a sarcastic tone. " _Though, I shouldn't be surprised. When Madara Uchiha acts, thousands die as collateral._ " Madara's eye twitched in response to the beast's comment, his sharingan deactivating as if in spite.

He glanced at the old man, prompting him to nod and disappear behind the back room. Yet again, his audience was left to double take.

"Um… do you two… know each other?" Weiss asked with a surprised look. " _Is he sick? Has he ever been sick actually? Is this some kind of joke or experiment he's doing?_ " she pondered to herself. She shook her head, choosing to believe that he was being genuine. " _come to think of it, I think I might know who Luna's 'Sensei' actually is... maybe I'll tell her after the tournament. Getting her distracted would be unsportsmanlike."_

 **END**


	42. Chapter 42

**Guest- My goal with the OCs in this story aren't to take away, but to add. The scene in chapter 41 with Luna and Ruby wasn't for Luna, but for Ruby. it was to reinforce her more… naive beliefs.**

 **Joseph Deluca- you're… you have about half of the idea right.**

Chapter 42

Yang was on her own, so to speak. She was without her gauntlets, dressed in a simple white t-shirt and black shorts. Despite her attire, she was in the middle of an unfamiliar forest. More than that, she wasn't quite alone. Standing a short distance from her was a Beringel, one that looked to be about five years old.

It threw a punch which Yang caught, one of the dozens she had intercepted already, and threw it over her shoulder. Its back slammed against the ground and Yang delivered a semblance-charged stomp on its head. The proportionately small head collapsed under the pressure, causing the body to spasm before falling limp and evaporating.

Yang sighed, brushing the sweat from her forehead. She straightened her back, turning and looking at one of the trees. "Stop," she commanded.

Suddenly, the world around her melted away. Like a computer screen shutting down, the grass, the sky, the very forest itself darkened until everything was pitch black. There was a bright flash, and her true environment appeared. She stood in a white room, save for a gray door, whose walls, floor, and ceiling were covered in glowing blue lines. Despite the change in scenery, Yang was completely unfazed.

It was a Holodeck, one of many under Beacon's ownership. Using light and force fields in tandem with each other, a student could practice grimm hunting in a controlled environment. Considering how difficult it was to capture grimm, these rooms were indispensable to the Academy. However, it wasn't a perfect system. No matter how well programmed the simulated Grimm could be, they were only imitations that lacked the infield-experience that the genuine article had.

"Count," Yang said exhaustedly, looking at one of the walls. A screen appeared, displaying icons for several different Grimm and corresponding numbers. She had slain a total of seven Beringel, six Alpha Beowolves, four Ursai both major and minor, and a Griffon. She was about to start another simulation before the door behind her opened.

"Thought I'd find you here," Yang heard Blake's voice from behind. She turned and saw that very girl, dressed in black pajamas. "Should you really be doing this?"

"Just doing some last minute training," Yang replied with an aggravated tone. "A little exercise doesn't hurt anyone."

Blake raised an eyebrow as her bow twitched. "Exercise at two in the morning though? I can see those bags under your eyes. You look like you're about to fall apart. You should come back to our room and sleep. What if our fight is right after Team JNPR and you're too tired?"

Yang was about to call out Blake for being a hypocrite, as she too was awake at this time, but then remembered her faunus heritage made things complicated. Blake always had erratic sleeping schedule. She could spend eighteen hours asleep or awake with no noticeable changes. Whether it was a result of her faunus blood or just part of her as a person was still yet to be determined.

Thus, Yang could do nothing but accept and trudge towards Blake. She exited the Holodeck and the two walked through the ensuing hallway. Aside from them, the corridor was empty as expected, given how late at night it was

They walked side by side, awkwardly silent. An uneasy air remained between the two for reasons neither wanted to speak of.

"What is it going to be like? In a few years when we graduate?" Yang asked with an expressionless look. She had a slight slur in her voice, one caused by apparent sleep deprivation. "Like, what are we all going to do? Are we just going to go our separate ways? Stay as a four man squad? Find other people?"

Blake looked at the ground they walked across, looking bothered by Yang's question. "I… can't answer that… I'd like to think we'll stay a team, but… our work will probably take us in different directions. I sincerely doubt that any of us would become huntresses for hire, but it's still a possibility."

"Yeah, I think you're right." Yang then laughed, smiling dimly. "At least, I'm positive Ruby won't ever go astray. She's wanted to be a hero just like in fairy tales since we were little kids. She has this romantic fantasy idea of the life of a huntsmen.".

Blake smiled as well. "Weiss also doesn't seem like she would be money-hungry, not anymore.". The Schnee she expected to loath was gone, replaced by the Weiss she knew at present.

"Hey, Blake, what was it like when you were still… Y'know… part of the White Fang…?" Yang stared directly at her black haired partner with a tired look.

Blake may have choked if she had anything in her mouth, visibly flinching from Yang's inquiry. The question made her uncomfortable, whether Yang knew it would or not. She wasn't offended for any reason, far from in fact. What made her uncomfortable was the fact that they had yet to resolve their confrontation over the subject. Though Ruby and Weiss had forgiven Blake, Yang had yet to sign off. To make matters worse, she was responsible for not receiving Yang's final decision. She was who left the situation at a low note. Though she could have not answered, it would feel wrong.

"Uh… it was as you'd expect in a peace organization I guess," Blake began reluctantly. "In the beginning, we acted through pacifism and protest. It wasn't the most effective, but little by little the people began to change their opinion of faunus. Unfortunately, that changed when Sienna Khan took over as High Leader. The results were faster, but different. Faunus weren't respected, but feared, and with fear came violence. I didn't realize it soon enough, but we became the monsters we were pegged for."

Yang tapped Blake on the shoulder as if to stop her. "No, not like that, I mean you're life in it." she corrected, sounding more clear and awake than before.

"O-oh, right." Blake stuttered, laughing off the minor embarrassment she felt., "I wasn't ever part of a 'team'. I was always partnered with Adam when we were on missions. There was one other person I knew. Her name was Ilya, and she joined after her parents were killed in a dust mine. I haven't heard from her in years, so I don't know if anything has happened."

"That… sounds rough," she commented awkwardly.

Finally, the two reached their team's dorm room. Since both Ruby and Weiss were probably asleep, the two had to be as quiet as possible. For that reason, Yang was _not_ the one to push the door disturbing the sleepers. Blake acted as a guide through the dark and crowded room, keeping Yang from tripping over anything through the use of her night vision. Fortunately, she slept on the bottom bunk of their stacked beds.

As Blake climbed a short ladder to her own bed, her mind started to wander. Yang hadn't forgot, but the fact that Yang had asked solely about her personal experience in the White Fang was off putting to Blake. She expected to have to finish what she put on hold over weeks ago, yet it never came. It was inevitable, something she had to end sooner or later. At the very least, she would be the one to do it, but at a time Yang was more awake.

* * *

 **Amity Colosseum**

* * *

"Alright, you can do this, you can do this Jaune," Jaune thought to himself, sitting on a bench in front of his locker. He looked down at his lap which his sword rested on. The sheath, that which was once a shield, had a golden cross-shaped pattern on it. His hand squeezed the blue leather wrappings on the hilt, sighing at his reborn blade.

"It's time for us to enter the arena," Pyrrha said as she walked by. "Are you alright, Jaune?"

"Yeah, yeah I'm good," Jaune replied, looking up from his sword. "I'm just… getting myself together… I mean, don't get me wrong. I'm excited and all, but I'm also really nervous. We've all been waiting for this day and I just don't want to screw it up for everyone." Suddenly, he felt a warm hand press against his shoulder.

Pyrrha gave Jaune a reassuring smile. "Jaune, you're going to do fine. You can trust me. Whether we win or lose, we will do it together."

"I know I'll be fine," Jaune declared. "Like you said before, Pyrrha. 'Believe you can win but don't expect to.'" He then rose to his feet with a determined look. "Alright, let's get out there and win."

"Of course, team leader," Pyrrha said to herself as she followed behind Jaune.

After joining up with Ren and Nora, the four members of team JNPR advanced through a long corridor. At the end was a door that lead to their entrance to the arena. The moment they emerged from the cover of enclosed space, they were bombarded by a powerful roar. Nora embraced the enthusiasm wholeheartedly, while the two boys were less than accepting. What was more noticeable about the cheering, was that most of it was directed towards Pyrrha specifically. However, nobody minded the fact—except Pyrrha, ironically enough.

"And here they are! Our very own team JNPR!" Professor Port announced as the four walked. "Make no mistake folks, your eyes do not deceive you. That is indeed, the real Pyrrha Nikos in the flesh!" he said, causing the cheers to grow louder. "I must say, it is quite an honor to be able to watch her first Vytal Festival. I can only imagine what will happen."

"Indeed, Ms. Nikos boasts a spotless win-loss record, most impressively the Mistral Regionals in which she remained victorious for four years in a row before transferring to Beacon Academy. I am quite excited to see her first match but I cannot help but wonder if this tournament will be where she tastes her first defeat." Oobleck added, rubbing his hands anxiously.

"Well, Barty, I believe I speak for everybody when I say victory will be no easy feat. Although, perhaps the team to do it will be team BRNZ! Hailing from Vacuo's Shade Academy. Well ladies and gentlemen, we shall see very soon the answer to that question."

"We got this." Nora remarked to her team, pushing out her chest confidently. Ren nodded silently, drawing his jade colored bladed submachine guns. Pyrrha did as well, clutching her sword and shield in each hand. Jaune kept his sword sheathed, but moved one hand to the mid-section of the sheath. He pressed a button, causing a low hum to emanate.

The roulettes began and two biomes were mountain and forest. The countdown soon followed.

"What's the plan?" Ren asked Jaune with a calm tone. The distance between their teams and the cheering of the audience hid their voices from their opponent, allowing for last minute conversation.

"Chances are they'll try to knockout either the weakest or strongest first." Jaune scanned the different weapons of team BRNZ. "Okay Ren, we'll use your agility take the girl with the sniper. Don't give her a second to take aim or we'll be pinned. Nora, that guy with the stun rod is yours. Once he's down, help Ren if he's having trouble. Pyrrha, those circular saws look like they're made of bronze—some kind of metal, basically. I'll focus on their leader."

The three nodded just before the timer reached the last second.

The buzzer rung, and it was time for action. Each member of Jaune's team advanced as they agreed. Unfortunately, as Jaune sprinted to meet his opponent, he briefly froze. Brawnz Ni, leader of team BRNZ, held no weapons in his hands. Over the male he was running towards, he saw the long white hair and silver eyes of the one whom he lost to.

Unfortunately, that moment of hesitation was enough for Brawnz to take the first hit. Jaune lifted his arms to guard, but was knocked back nonetheless. Coming back to his senses, Jaune drew his sword for the world to see. The straight sword was longer than before, if only by a small amount. The blade was covered in a golden coat, but glew with a blue light. The blade seemed to vibrate, being the source of the hum. The sheath took on a transformation, folding out into a rectangular shape. The family crest that had branded the tool was gone.

" _Get ahold of yourself you idiot. Not the time for getting distracted!"_ Jaune commanded of himself., shaking the image of that girl out of his head " _it's time that I test my new upgrades._ "

Brawnz kicked straight, but Jaune guarded with his sheath. However, there was something strange. As if they were two magnets repelling one another, the bottom of his boot remained suspended less than a centimeter away from the face of Jaune's sheath.

"What?" Brawnz's perplexed face spoke for the entire audience as they stared confusedly.

"Hya!" Jaune cried out, pushing his opponent back and gripping his sword. The distance between the two was too great for Jaune to effectively swing his sword, and the position of his legs prevented him from advancing. Jaune swung wide nonetheless, the blue hue surrounding his blade following close behind. Despite the distance, Brawnz was hit with the full force, dropping the jaws of every spectator. The blue energy leapt off of the blade, creating a crescent wave that flew through the air. It collided with Brawnz. His aura decreased substantially, causing his eyes to widen in fear.

" _Thank goodness that worked,_ " Jaune thought, smiling relieved. One of the upgrades allowed him to infuse certain types of dust into the metal of his blade, allowing him to charge his swings with the elements. At the cost of his shield, which could be compensated for by his aura, he gained a boost in range and versatility.

As he revelled in his success, he barely managed to notice a circular blade in his peripheral vision and evade. The dull orange color indicated that the blade belonged to the guy Pyrrha was fighting, meaning they could be thrown. Unfortunately, Brawnz was back on his feet and ready to pounce. The element of surprise was no longer with Jaune, as his opponent surely would be more wary from now on. However it meant that he would be more on the defensive, turning the tables in Jaune's favor. A strong feeling welled up inside of him, a feeling of accomplishment, of confidence, of pride. He sheathed his sword once more, changing the element that imbued his sword to strike again. No longer would he be excess weight to his team. The leader would truly be the leader from now on.

* * *

 **Haven Academy**

* * *

"I… I understand." Lionheart exhaled calmly as he looked at his fellow headmaster, James Ironwood. "It seems that we were right to put our trust in that boy."

"Agreed. However, as a general and a former huntsman, I can't help but feel uneased. We have no contingency, no backup plan in case things take a turn for the worst. If that… that thing manages to awaken and the boy isn't able to stop it, our world is doomed." Ironwood remarked, glaring down at his hands.

Lionheart shared the same sentiment, the feeling of helplessness weighing on his neck as well. "But… perhaps we could?" he muttered, his head and eyelids raising. "If we could just find the maidens-" he tried to say before being suddenly cut off.

"The spring maiden has been missing for over a decade now. For all we know, they've been hunted and killed." Ironwood was quick to respond, yet his face showed reluctance. "The whereabouts of the summer and winter maidens are… difficult to ascertain. The fall maiden is still in a comatose state. Even if we could gather the four together, I doubt even they would be enough."

"No, that's not what I meant." Lionheart proceeded despite Ironwood's protests. "But say if it were possible to gather them with our resources. Great combat prowess is not all that they're capable of."

Ironwood put his chin on his hand. "You mean to use them to retrieve the relics? Perhaps if we had the relic of knowledge, we could obtain some kind of information, and with the relic of destruction at least _some_ amount of damage could be done, but the issue is that Ozpin would certainly oppose the idea." He narrowed his eyes. "That leaves us with only the boy. Although, this festival is an opportunity to record data on Mr. Uchiha. With more information, we can potentially replicate his strength and power… it would certainly be a benefit to the whole world."

"Hm… that reminds me. Whatever happened to that one girl, the one that was apart of your more recent weapon program? I believe their designation was… Penny?"

At his question and honest expression, Ironwood closed his eyes and sighed.

"That unit… went missing some time ago, just as the first had. Once again, a major setback, but not one that can't be overcome." He sighed disappointedly.

Lionheart raised an eyebrow at Ironwood. "If I may, James… How was the program resumed? After the first incident, the head of the project disappeared, did he not?"

"I'm afraid that I cannot discuss the topic. It's classified information even to fellow headmasters." Ironwood said sternly, his fingers curling into fists. "In any case, this is where we must conclude for the day. I'm in charge of overseeing security during the festival and I've already spent too much time away."

"Understood. Continue your hard work then." After a share of nodded heads, the call was disconnected. Lionheart stood up from his desk at the sound of knocking on his door. "Come in."

The doors opened, yet there was nobody there. Despite not being able to see anybody, his instincts screamed danger. There was enough open space for two people to walk through, and there could only have been one reason someone would enter in such a way. The headmaster flinched, opening one of the drawers and taking out an object. It was a disc attached to a leather sleeve with four different colored orbs in a cross pattern. Before even equipping the weapon, Lionheart braced himself and leapt through the window behind his desk. An intentional move to gain as much distance as possible, but not made before leaving behind a small surprise. As he fell, he watched his room explode with a large cloud of smoke.


	43. Chapter 43

**Guest- I made the OCs for a few things. Romance wasn't one of them. Though, they will play a role in the climax of this arc… heheheh… oh yeah also I've had Sun in other chapters, just he's not been a super huge character. Speaking on the pairing thing. I said there may be, but I wasn't certain. I was actually thinking of writing the school dance thing and have Weiss ask Madara to dance, then have him mix up "fight" and "dance". What happened? I wasn't sure why or how Madara would even go… maybe I'll use it if I get the chance in the future.**

 **Other guest- because they're dead.**

Chapter 43

* * *

 **Team RWBY room**

* * *

The first round had finally concluded, meaning that it was time to move on. Only half of the original competitors remained, the victors of the team matches. However, this amount of students needed to be reduced again. The winning teams had a new task before they could advance. As the commentators had said before, the second round was pair-based. As such, each winning team had to elect two members to move on.

"So, who are we picking? How about me and Ruby?" Yang asked, hanging upside down from her bed. Obviously she wished to be chosen, but ultimately the choice had to be unanimous.

"While speed and strength would be a good combination, the odds would be against us. The other contestants watched our fight just as we did theirs. If we go with just you two, they probably have figured out something to counter." Weiss explained with a calm but eager look. "We should go with something nobody has seen yet. It gives us the best chance, which is in fact why I used my Glyphs so discreetly."

"So that's why you weren't as flashy as usual." Blake remarked, cueing a snicker from the sibling pair.

"Anyways, I would like to elect myself and Yang." Weiss declared, glancing at the blonde's surprised face. "Don't get me wrong, it's not out of any kind of favoritism, I just see the possibility for us to be the best combination. With either ice or electricity, I can immobilize and Yang could take advantage of that."

Blake raised her hand slightly above her head. "No objections here." She declared her vote, leaving the decision the others.

"What do you think Ruby?" Yang asked, looking over at her sister. As she did, she only then noticed the sound of light snoring. She stared confusedly at their leader.

"Is it just me, or she seemed a lot more tired than usual." Weiss commented, sounding concerned. "I don't remember her taking very many attacks in our match, but by the end when we were victorious, she had the lowest aura of us all. I know she's younger than anyone else, but her capacity has rarely ever dropped that quickly, especially when not fighting some ridiculous madara-related monster." She muttered with a strained tone.

"Wow, was that spite I heard?" Yang asked, smiling mischievously.

"It's just been a little stressing. More things have been happening than I could have expected, but I've gotten used to it… more or less." Weiss shrugged dismissively.

"Looks like you're one of us." Yang laughed, tilting her head to her sleeping sister. "It kinda is just amazing how the crazy and bizarre stops being crazy and bizarre. Being a huntress might be boring compared to this. I think the only step forward would be the end of the world."

"That's going to jinx us." Blake muttered as her cat ears fidgeting as an animal would sensing a change in weather.

"Returning to subject, should we wait until Ruby has woken up? We have the rest of the day before we have to submit our decision to the rosters." Weiss suggested, standing up and stretching. "If that's the case, I'll be taking a walk around the fairgrounds."

"Yeah, sounds like a plan. Food sounds pretty good right about now actually. Wanna come with?" Yang asked as she too got to her feet.

"Sure." Blake agreed, tying her bow back on top of her head.

Before long, the three left the room, closing the door quietly behind them. Yet, almost as if triggered by the small thud, Ruby's eyelids jumped open. She scanner around the room and listened to the fading footsteps, confirming that she was alone. She sat up straight, looking at her legs with a somber expression. She clenched her fists briefly before putting them together.

"I'd like to be in the next round, and maybe even be our team rep for the finals." Ruby said to herself, twiddling her thumbs. "But they would be better. I won't drag down my own team. That's what it means to be a leader… I could ask Madara, maybe he could help me? He probably knows how to fix this… but I can't rely on him all the time." She pointed her face to the ceiling, groaning as she fell back in frustration.

Before the festival began, after defeating the slug-like creature during the "scavenger hunt", she was taken to the school infirmary. It was there that she discovered something she dreaded. According to several repeated tests and examinations, she had found out that her aura reserves had been tampered with. It was inexplicable, but her capacity was reduced by ten percent even after a full day's rest. Never before in human history had a person's aura been permanently reduced in any other way than age, and Ruby was certainly far from having to deal with that.

The _most_ logical decision would have been to ask her step-brother. The Uchiha had taught her about one of her eyes, the Rinnegan. If something was happening as a result, he should have held the answers. However, she couldn't allow herself to be dependent on him. A protector of humanity couldn't need protection from others, no matter who.

"Maybe I should try to figure it out myself?" Ruby asked herself, humming quietly as she entertained the idea. She didn't know exactly how it happened, but it happened when team RWBY encountered the slug-like creature. She remembered her eyes burning suddenly with an intense pain before hearing a mysterious voice in her head. After that, she blacked out and found herself in the infirmary.

However, she quickly shook her head of the idea. Though she remembered when it happened and what lead to it, she still had too little information. She couldn't afford reducing permanently reducing her aura again, there was also nowhere nearby for her to perform the experiment. She sighed to herself, examining her hands with her rinnegan. The chakra that she watched circulate through herself before, the amount had increased considerably. It was still faint in comparison to others like Madara or Luna, but was more visible than before.

It was then that an idea came to her. She knew, or at least had an idea of, what happened. Her aura was gone, but in its place was chakra. That was what happened, but the perpetrator was unclear. It couldn't have been the creature's goal, meaning it should have been one of her eyes. Instead of trying to reverse the process, which she had not a single clue of how to do, it would be a better use of her time to explore the possibilities of her situation. Just as Weiss, she could learn to harness the powers of the elements.

"I think it was like… this?" Ruby muttered, trying to mimic the hand signs that Madara did. However, before making a third, she quickly stopped and opened one of the windows. "I don't wanna cause a fire." Ruby laughed dryly before continuing. "Okay, I think I remember. It was this… then this I think… and…"

Using the Rinnegan, she watched her chakra flow. Unlike Madara or Luna, her chakra flowed around her body like aura instead of inside. She could visualize a large coalescence of transparent blue chakra in between her hands. It was but an illusion she created for herself, an assistant so to speak. Each time she made a different sign, the blue sphere of chakra shifted in shape. With one, they would condense and thin. With another, they vibrated wildly. So on and so forth.

"Okay, let's try this." She decided, staring at her the open window nervously. She made the sphere thin to the width of a centimeter and vibrate rapidly, causing a crackling sound to emit. After applying the effects, she extended her hands out of the window and spread out her fingers, triggering the this manipulated chakra to release. Suddenly, the chakra she played with leapt out of her hands, taking a bright red color that moved like electricity. Subsequently, a diminished sound of thunder startled Ruby, throwing her off balance.

While still laying on the floor, she squealed in excitement at her success. Comparatively speaking, the result was little to nothing. The only product of her efforts was an instance of static that lasted no longer than a moment. Furthermore it took too long to generate and made too much noise, as much as a round fired from Crescent Rose. She essentially created a firecracker, a one-time distraction at best. However, she recognized the possibilities. To make it at all viable for combat she would need to shorten the cast time, reduce the amount of sound generated, and make the electricity stronger.

" _Alright, again_." she said giggled excitedly, springing back to her feet. " _If I can get at least a little further, I can show everyone as a little reward for-_ " she froze, planting her hands over her mouth as she screamed. " _Now I wanna be in the next round even more but I don't want to go back on my choice!_ " she dismayed, letting out a long groan.

However, just after her cry concluded, there was a knock on her door. After quickly closing the window, she went to the door and opened it.

"Who is-oh!" She jumped back startled. Standing on the other side and staring at her directly was her step brother, Madara. "Hey, what's up? You usually never come by."

"I sensed something, something that shouldn't be, from near here." He answered, looking around the room.

"Oh, no need to worry. That was… hey, come in for a second. There's something I wanna ask you about." She said haphazardly, taking him by the hand and pulling. "I want to learn more about this Rinnegan stuff, for uh, for the future." To her slight surprise, she felt no resistance as they entered the room, yet she hadn't let go of his arm. " _I wonder how he'll react when I master this electric stuff._ " she quietly hummed while smiling.

* * *

 **Next Day**

* * *

"You ready?" Yang asked, cracking her knuckles and popping her neck.

"Do you even have to ask?" Weiss replied, smirking confidently. She rested one hand on her sword, still holstered on her waist. "Although, I do have my doubts."

"What, you don't think we can get a clean win?" Yang raised an eyebrow to the heiress.

"Well, I'm not quick to stating certainties." Weiss shrugged, turning her attention to the pair ahead of them. They were both the best and worst possible opponents for the representatives of team RWBY. their opponents were the representatives of team JNPR, Nora Valkyrie and Pyrrha Nikos.

Many times in the year had Yang and Nora thrown playful words of challenge at one another. They were always confident in their ability to topple the other, despite never having a direct confrontation before. On the other hand, Pyrrha was something Weiss had no confidence against. Among the list of people she placed above herself, including her sister and Madara, stood the invincible Pyrrha. That was, at least, what she thought before. Pyrrha was famed for her strength, which was sometimes called into question. However, she herself had seen such skill and much more. Pyrrha was powerful, but far from invincible.

"Let's do our best. I'm sure they will." Weiss commented as she drew her rapier.

"Wouldn't have it any other way." Yang replied, loading her gauntlets with shelled rounds.

The timer counted down from ten. Each second that passed felt like several minutes. Save for the electronic beeping, the entire arena was silent. Not even the hundreds of eager spectators made a single sound, as if saving their energy. Indeed they were, because the moment the buzzer went off, they let out an intense cry of excitement.

At the same time as the crowd cheered, Weiss wasted no time in conjuring a pair of elemental Glyphs beneath Nora's and Pyrrha's feet. Pyrrha was able to react and evade but Nora was ensnared, her feet becoming encased in ice. Unfortunately, she made an unexpected move, slamming her own hammer into the white block. The ice shattered, freeing her quickly.

"I'm boosting us." Weiss said, summoning a time dilation Glyph beneath their feet. The two of team JNPR were charging at full speed. They were going to return in kind.

Moving at twice her normal speed, Yang sprinted at the two, catching Nora off guard with a leap and tackle maneuver. The two had ridiculous physical strength, but Yang's semblance gave her an edge against direct-contact opponents. Although she didn't know Nora's semblance, Yang was still worth betting on.

Weiss made the first move, thrusting her rapier at Pyrrha. She in turn blocked with her shield, letting the blade slide off and countering with her sword. Weiss cast another Glyph, a hand sized gravity manipulation circle, deflecting Pyrrha's swing and allowing her to get away unharmed. Pyrrha transformed her sword into a rifle, firing several rounds at Weiss. She took three hits, dropping her aura by a small amount, before creating a wall of ice between them.

" _As expected, this will take a while._ " she thought, turning her attention to Yang. the two heavy hitters of the sister teams were trading blows with one another in a straightforward way. Evasion was obviously on the last on Yang's list of priorities, as absorbing damage was integral to her advantage. However, even with the gradual increases, Nora appeared to be keeping up without an apparent use of a semblance. " _Wait, how is she… how strong is she when she's serious?!_ " Weiss wondered, staring at the hammer-wielding ginger.

She cut her curiosity short, switching her attention back to her own enemy. Instead of forcing her way through the wall, Pyrrha had vaulted the barrier, dropping from above. Without a second thought, Weiss activated another Glyph and sent herself far from the impact zone. When Pyrrha landed with her shield taking the force of impact, the floor cracked visibly. Her aura meter was still a spotless green.

"If I recall, your rapier had a rotary-based dust cartridge." Pyrrha muttered, quickly advancing on Weiss. However, as she got within two meters, she could feel her body being forcibly thrown back. A transparent black Glyph laid on the ground, barely visible.

"Watch your step." Weiss said, tapping the ground with the tip of her sword.a white Glyph appeared at the point of contact, expanding to over a meter in diameter. A large wave of white ice exploded from her sword, covering their ground in a sheet of smooth ice.

What was little known by the general public, was how strength actually functioned. Ultimately whether it was a kick, a punch, or the swing of a weapon, the force that they could deliver relied heavily on the output of force in the opposite direction. Without good traction, an attack like Yang's punches or kicks would be severely diminished. As a result, Pyrrha would be unable to properly evade or attack. Despite being from the tundra-like Atlas. Weiss would have still suffered even minorly. However, her Glyphs allowed her complete movement control even with the change in terrain.

"You've done well, Weiss. I'm pleasantly impressed." Pyrrha smiled, flipping her sword upside down in her own hand. "I didn't think you could use the elements without dust, it's almost like magic."

Weiss didn't quite understand the purpose of Pyrrha's words, if there was one, and shook off the remark without a response. She launched herself towards Pyrrha, pointing her sword at the red haired combatant. However, just before she could make contact, Pyrrha was able to slide and counter with a shield bash. Weiss retreated before she could take a follow up attack..

" _She shouldn't be able to put force like that, not without slipping up. There's no scratch marks on the ice beneath her either._ " Weiss thought with a confused expression.

She attempted the same maneuver, but faster than before. She set up black Glyphs in fixed positions, allowing her to constantly swipe at Pyrrha in seconds. unfortunately, each time resulted in a failure no better than the first. However, for what aura was chipped away from her own bar, she obtained information. For very brief moments, Pyrrha's armored leggings and weapons would shift unnaturally. It was like she was being jerked around by some puppeteer-like force.

" _What if…_ " A spark of inspiration struck her. She had a possible explanation, but would have to confirm it.

One more time she charged Pyrrha, who still had a nearly untouched meter. Pyrrha readied herself, but within a one meter distance, the blanket of ice suddenly shattered. Her body shifted downwards, like a magnet being attracted to another. Her shield moved from its original place, creating an opening for Weiss's rapier. With a desperate look on her face, Pyrrha's shield forcefully moved to intercept the sword, protecting her from the piercing blow.

" _That's it!_ " Weiss thought, smiling with pride and elation. She did what none before could do. She had revealed Pyrrha's semblance. Below the floor she stood on were several plates of metal, highly magnetic metal at that. Additionally, instead of pulling the shield closer to herself, Pyrrha made the mistake of focusing more on the sword itself. As a result, she manipulated the polarity between her shield and the sword.

It appeared that Pyrrha also recognized what Weiss had discovered. She stared with admiration, but also a hint of unease and anxiety.

" _Magnetism, attractive and repulsive field control. That makes this a bit easier._ " Weiss smirked, mischievously. She created a small Glyph, about ten centimeters in diameter. She passed her sword through it, causing the disc to break without discernible changes. it costed ten percent of her aura, a seemingly pointless endeavor.

Without a Glyph to push herself, Weiss ran towards Pyrrha, holding her weapon with one hand and a Glyph in another. Another ten percent of her aura suddenly vanished, likely being channeled into the Glyph she held, leaving half of her aura remaining. There was a distance of ten meters between them, but was closed in less than a second. A channel, a single stream of pure electricity flew through the air like a bolt of lightning Pyrrha's weapons and armor were metal, and with her semblance being magnetism-oriented, she would have trouble countering such an attack.

The bolt struck Pyrrha, and even though she braced herself, her aura plummeted to eighty five percent, and continued to decrease gradually. To make matters worse, she was stunned by the attack as well.

" _Perfect!_ " Weiss thought as she came closer. She reached Pyrrha, unloading a flurry of quick thrusts at Pyrrha's body. Her aura dropped once more, down to three quarters. In these few seconds, Pyrrha's aura dropped for the first time in their battle. Pyrrha tried to swing her shield at Weiss, but she sidestepped.

Weiss created another elemental glyph, aiming for Pyrrha with a point blank attack. Pyrrha raised her hand up, catching the glyph and receiving the full force into her arm. Her aura took another hit, lowering her aura to a little under half. Pyrrha suddenly raised a leg and kicked Weiss back.

" _Not gonna work._ " Weiss thought, assuming that Pyrrha would return the charge by switching her polarity, and placing a barrier Glyph between them. Pyrrha raised her electrified hand, but not towards Weiss, towards Nora. the bolt jumped from her hand, flying directly towards Nora.

"wait… no, Yang, get back! Her semblance!" Weiss tried to warn, but was too late. Charged with electricity, rather than impeded, Nora swung her hammer into Yang's stomach faster and harder than ever before. The force wasn't enough to strip Yang of her aura, but was enough to throw her out of bounds. It was team RWBY's defeat.

Nora's semblance, it used electricity to increase her output. That was why Pyrrha exposed her semblance to Weiss so openly. It wasn't out of desperation, or fear of being struck. When she discovered Weiss could utilize the elements, she bet on the chance that she could use electricity as well. Weiss regret her short sightedness, accepting her inevitable defeat at the hands of team JNPR.

" _I wonder though, if she didn't have Nora, she couldn't redirect that blast anywhere. I think that I could've won, one on one that is._ " she thought, reviewing the experience in her head. Though she lost, she had also gained. Were they to have a rematch, Weiss was certain of her victory.

 **END**

 **My editor hasn't been able to look over this, but I didn't want to keep you all waiting anymore. Anyways, the side project I mentioned, I have a question. Planning to work on another crossover story. I have two separate ideas, Overlord x (another isekai) and DXD x (a mythology-centered game/anime franchise). Which should I proceed with?**


	44. Chapter 44

**Guest- yeah you're probably right. It'd make more sense to call him "adopted brother", so it's a whoops on my end. It'll be fixed from now on (hopefully).**

 **The Jingo- is that a reference to The Apathy in volume 6?**

 **Anyways, I think it's time to get done with this tournament stuff. One more battle, and it will be** _ **fun**_ **. Also just to let you all know, my editor's alive uwu.**

Chapter 44

"What a bummer. That last swing caught me off guard" Yang said, groaning in frustration. "I didn't expect to get one-hit like that. I thought I had it in the bag."

"You _did._ " Weiss quickly added, her face buried in her pillow. "Your semblance gave you an edge, and would have let you win in a battle of attrition. We tried to divide and conquer, but they managed to use our strength against us. That's why we lost."

"You two still did good though. You brought her aura down more than anyone before." Ruby chimed in, with a hopeful look on her face. "What's more, you even found out what her semblance is. That's pretty amazing, right?"

"I… suppose that's true. Although I would still have liked to be the person that defeated the 'invincible girl' in the tournament. I haven't told anyone but you three about her semblance, and I don't plan to tell anyone else, so I can't take credit for it." Weiss relented with a bittersweet expression. "What's done is done. We'll just have to watch what happens In the third round. I've been told that Pyrrha was already elected to be their finalist."

"It makes sense… so, who do you think can beat her?" Yang asked, rolling around to face her team members. "Y'know, of the finalists?"

"Maybe Sun?" Blake suggested. "His staff isn't metal, so she wouldn't be able to do anything to it."

"Yeah, but how about Velvet? She has like twenty different weapons she can use, and I think her semblance lets her copy fighting styles. She doesn't have metal weapons either." Ruby countered vigorously.

"I'm actually with Blake on this. As varied as Velvet's arsenal is, she doesn't have any mastery of the things she copies. Sun has an unorthodox fighting style, which he has undoubtedly mastered. If I recall, he was from Vacuo, the most dangerous of the four kingdoms." Weiss declared.

"Heheh, I think you're all forgetting about the obvious." Yang chuckled, grinning devilishly at the three below her bunk bed. "Remember Madara?"

"Huh?" the three were quick to respond with confused identically confused faces.

"Yeah. I heard that he's actually going to be in round three. There's no chance he'd lose. I think we can all agree on that one." there was no need for a response. The four had the same answer in their mind. Except for Blake, perhaps out of instinct, the entirety of team RWBY had fought and lost to the Uchiha.

"What has been the most unbelievable thing he's done?" Blake tilted her head curiously.

"Oh, okay." Yang quickly responded. "So this one time, on my first day at Signal academy, he came with me to watch. I said 'I dare you to make the biggest weapon you can'. He made like, twenty of himself to carry around things and assemble this huge whatever. Nobody thought that it could even work, but it almost blew up the building. I almost died." She explained with an ironically bright smile on her face.

"For me, it'd be the first time he ever looked sad. Like, not bored or annoyed or anything, just sad." Ruby said indifferently. However the looks of disbelief on everyone's faces, including even Yang, was a demand for more detail. "Back when we were making the shrine for mom. He stood back and watched, and I noticed that he looked like he was sad about it."

"Isn't feeling sad, normal for occasions like that?" Blake was reluctant to ask.

"Of course, but it felt… I don't know, different? Every other time we visited her grave, he never made that look. I think there was something different about that time then every other." Ruby quieted down, slightly shaking her head of the thought. "But that's all in the past. What about you two?" she asked, looking at Blake and Weiss.

"I'd say, during the White Fang's attack on the school, when Luna went berserk and he managed to subdue it. Ruby and I couldn't put a dent in it…" Weiss answered, staring off into space with a contemplative look. "It's skin was… like looking into an endless pool of blood…"

"For me, it'd be when we first met." Blake interjected. "One moment, I was catching a ride on a train, getting further and further away. When I turned around, he was right behind me like it was nothing. After that he asked me some question and left."

"That sure sounds like him." Yang rolled her eyes playfully.

"I wonder about the reward." Weiss said with an uneasy look. "The winner can make a request of any kind. If it's within the power of the kingdoms, it can be granted. What would Madara possibly want? I have a feeling that whatever he might desire is impossible for the any country to actually provide."

"Like what, the moon itself? Or maybe even a girlfriend?" Yang suggested, prompting a laugh from her teammates. Unknowingly, Blake's cat ears perked up to the sound of her partner's suggestion.

"Yeah, that'd be a surprise." Ruby concurred, suddenly fidgeting in place. "Oh yeah, speaking of, there's something I wanted to show to you girls. Before your match, I figured out how to do this cool thing. I was going to save it for a congratulations present, but uh..." Ruby chuckled awkwardly before clearing her throat. "Anyways, I might as well show it now."

The three gathered around to watch Ruby, who held out her hands. They watched as she made patterns with her fingers, reminiscent of Madara's hand signs. She replicated the patterns she created earlier that day, but performed them quicker than before. In two thirds the time it first took, she had static building between her palms.

Watching Ruby's technique in action, Weiss couldn't help but recall her elemental glyphs. During the development of her original glyph, she too had minuscule results. Empathy allowed her to appreciate the progress Ruby had made in such a short amount of time

She made the release pattern with her hands, and a large red spark of electricity popped in and out of existence. Fortunately, Ruby did _not_ recoil back and embarrass herself again.

"Woah… after blue, yellow, and white, that's a new color." Yang remarked, smiling pridefully at her sister.

"How did you learn to do this?" Blake asked, her eyes seeming to dilate on Ruby as if they were zooming in.

"Well… uh…" Ruby paused nervously. She had forgot that the reason for the development of this technique was her permanent aura reduction. " _I can't tell them now! What do I do?!_ " she thought, panicking internally. "I mean, I got curious and wanted to try something like Weiss and Madara. They can both do stuff like dust but without dust. I thought it'd be good for our team."

"That is impressive, but for now, you should focus on improvement. Something like that won't amount to much on the field." Weiss lectured, holding up one hand. An elemental glyph appeared and a ball of white lightning hovered above. Unlike Ruby's creation, it maintained its form. "I'll help, of course." she offered, prompting Yang and Blake to snicker.

"Aww, thanks Weiss!" Ruby said, leaping to her feet and hugging her partner.

"Heh, with Ruby in the picture, Madara might have an even harder time." Yang whispered to herself, letting out a short laugh.

"Did you say something?" Blake asked, turning her head to look at Yang.

"Oh nothing…oh yeah, that reminds me. I got a text from our uncle Qrow. He's coming to see the finals tomorrow." Yang announced, watching and waiting for Ruby's response. Her excited smile was exactly what Yang had hoped for.

"I… haven't ever heard of this _Qrow_. What kind of person is he?" Weiss asked cautiously.

"Uncle Qrow 's like… he's always drunk, but the fun kind of drunk." Yang explained, smiling wryly. "He was one of Ruby's combat teachers. While my dad taught me hand to hand, he showed her how to use a scythe. He's a cool guy, or at least always acts like it. He likes to tell stories a lot, stories about his adventures as a huntsman." Yang reached for her scroll, selecting a lighting control feature she possessed. "You'll both get to meet him tomorrow. I'm going to sleep."

The lights quickly dimmed and vanished, leaving the four in darkness. Blake, being the last to fall asleep and possessing superhuman senses, noticed a quiet whispering coming from the other side of the room. Even with her hearing, it was mostly incoherent, but unmistakably Ruby's voice.

* * *

 **Principal's Office**

* * *

"With regards to Leonardo." Ozpin said, putting his coffee mug down on his table.

"We've lost contact with him two days ago. He and I were discussing agricultural improvements, using more advanced machinery to accelerate the farming process. After that, he hasn't responded to anymore of my calls. I fear something has happened to him." Ironwood explained. "We should send party to check on him."

"We will, but for now, we should conserve ourselves. If we send too few to investigate, they may be at risk as well. If we send too many, it could cause commotion." Ozpin countered, maintaining his composure. Ironwood however, stood up and planted his hands against the table.

"With all due respect, Ozpin, I am a soldier. A soldier with an acute sense for danger. I can tell that this is something that requires our immediate attention." he snapped, quickly calming down and sitting back in his chair. "Sorry… Besides, if what Qrow said in his report is true, that 'our enemy is everywhere' we should be accounting for every possible inch of the four kingdoms."

"And I understand that. However, at this current time, we cannot risk causing a disturbance. A large amount of huntsmen and huntresses are currently here in Vale. If something were to happen, say, a Grimm outbreak caused by negative emotions, the other kingdoms would be underprotected. We must remain clandestine, lest even our enemy discover our intentions."

"We have tried that so far and have what to show for? No, we shouldn't be acting like we don't know what's going on. We should show that we are aware and powerful enough to act!" Ironwood exclaimed, glaring irritably.

He and Ozpin had known each other for a very long time. Since then, the two had a certain level of respect for one another. However, it was clear that this relationship was beginning to wane. It didn't make sense to Ironwood, Ozpin's decisions for what was supposed to be a shared goal. Although it could have been chalked up to personality or cultural differences, it felt as if there was an ulterior motive.

Suddenly, there was a buzzing sound coming from Ironwood's scroll. He picked it up, and held the device to his ear. After a full minute, he placed the phone back into his pocket and stood up.

"There seems to be something wrong with my ship, so I will be going. I'll wait until tomorrow. If there's no response, I'm sending in a team." Ironwood said with a cold stare. He to the elevator, opening its doors and stepping inside. When they closed, he audibly groaned, expressing his abject displeasure. " _What in the world is Ozpin thinking? How is someone so aware of reality but so nonchalant about things? We fight for humanity, as a collective against the Grimm. How am I supposed to sit around while my enemies play their games?_ "

* * *

 **Fairgrounds**

* * *

Within the fairground, more specifically one of the booths, was a small restaurant. All seats in tables and at the bar were filled, and the occupants had their heads pointed in the same direction. They looked towards the corner of the room, where a large TV screen hung. It displayed an arena, the arena in the sky. The unforgettable voice of Peter Port filled the room.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we have our first contestants of the day. Pyrrha Nikos, and Pum Mekah!" Port announced heartily. The diners raised their glasses and fists in unison, cheering anxiously. However, in the midst, an odd sound was heard.

It sounded like a crashing noise. The customers that looked saw a small hand covered in broken glass. A girl with white hair and clad in black clothing had suddenly crushed a glass cup. Her hands were shaking, as if she was enraged by something.

Without a word, she hopped off of the stool, shaking the fragments off of her hand.

"Uh, miss, you're gonna have to pay for that." the bartender called out, but was completely ignored. The girl continued to make her way out the door and vanished..

* * *

 **Amity Colosseum**

* * *

"Ladies and gentlemen, it is the moment you all have been waiting for. With the first and second rounds done, we are left with only a fraction of competitors remaining. You all know what that means. It is time for the third and final round!" Professor Port shouted at the top of his lungs. The audience reflected this enthusiasm with a chorus of cheers. "The solo rounds, the mono y mono, the time honored tradition of the old fashioned duel! There will be no environments at play and no allies to call upon. The only things the fighters may rely on are themselves."

"Without a doubt this must be the most anticipated event of the entire festival. In fact this round might just invalidate anything that happened previously." Oobleck followed.

"You're correct Barty. After all, while the remaining contenders have done well to reach this stage, only the last one standing may claim the ultimate prize. Soon enough, a wish will be made and granted. I cannot wait to see what that wish will be. Well, we will not have to wait much longer. It is time for the first match. Barty, if you would kindly do the honors."

On Professor Port's queue, Oobleck pressed a button and started the randomizer. The screen 's icons cycled rapidly, and with a mere fraction of the amount of contestants, faces appeared more and more often. With every passing face, the anticipation grew ever stronger.

After coming to a full stop, the first contestant was chosen. The rose red hair and emerald green eyes of Pyrrha Nikos were unmistakable. However, the crowd remained silent. It was not out of disdain or a lack of enthusiasm. They were waiting, saving their voices for the Invincible Girl's opponent to be revealed. The second screen slowed and stopped abruptly, as if forced to cease manually. The boy with black hair, one of the two most reserved participants of the entire event.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we have our first contestants of the day. Pyrrha Nikos, and Pum Mekah!" Port announced heartily. The crowd hesitated for a brief second, but let out their built up roar. The boy with black hair, Pum, was Pyrrha's opponent.

The contestant known around the world was going to face off against the tournament's phantom. Nobody knew what he was capable of other than simple deflection and grappling techniques. He had intentionally concealed himself and his abilities. This was the situation many had hoped for. The audience wished to know his truth and how long he would last against Pyrrha.

The two descended from their seats and down to the arena, already dressed for combat. Albeit, Pyrrha was the only of the two who had armor or weapons. Pum dressed just as he always had, with no discernible marks. The two reached the central platform, and a light blue glow outlined the edges. It was the boundary being established. The central platform, less than half of the overall length of the arena, became their battlefield.

"Guess we're face to face again." Pum said, thinning his smile. "It's been a pretty long time, a few months that is."

Pyrrha nodded, smiling warmly at the boy. "It has, I am not surprised to find you this far into the tournament. I'm anxious to find out what you've been hiding."

"You think you can figure that out?" Pum asked, crossing his arms pridefully. Pyrrha made a note that he hadn't denied her assumption. In fact he confirmed that there was something, perhaps numerous things, that he kept under wraps.

"You once said that there was 'not a lot of talk on the battlefield'. However, thoughts and feelings are still exchanged during battle. Surely you know this as well." Pyrrha declared, readying her blade and shield.

"Let's put on a good show while we can." Pum replied, holding his hands up in front of his chest and face. It appeared to be a defensive technique, his hands straight as if they were swords themselves.

The timer began counting it had before, however it seemed to be slightly slower. Rather, time itself seemed to slow. Whether this effect was between the two alone, however, couldn't be known to anyone.

"I should give you a hint. Some time ago, I created my own martial art, and taught it to two people. It's called 'Art of the human weapon'. Funny, they said it was a dumb name." as the boy said finished his sentence, the timer counted its last number.

In the very moment that the buzzer rang, the moment which the battle officially began. Catching everybody off guard, before even a second passed, the two clashed in the center of the platform. The audience felt the aftershock of an explosion, an invisible one. For the audience, Pum slammed his fist into the center of the shield and subsequently bounced off. For Pyrrha, she withstood an impact similar to Nora's hammer.

Pyrrha glanced at the screen that displayed their aura meters, and her eyes went wide. Both of their aura had dropped by a small margin, hers appearing just slightly smaller if by only an inch. It didn't make any sense to her. At the very least, her shield should have absorbed the impact. A flip was switched in her head, shifting her focus into evasion rather than defense. With his next attack, she dodged out of the way, throwing her shield at him in the process.

Pum swung his arm wide, deflecting the projectile with the same concussive force he applied to his first attack. The shield slid across the ground before reaching the edge of the stage. Instead of trying to retrieve it, Pyrrha transformed her sword into a spear. She thrusted multiple times, but all were deflected.

" _He's not dodging._ " Pyrrha immediately noticed, continuing to test her limited arsenal against him.

Pyrrha constantly alternated between the sword, spear, and rifle forms of her weapon. Unfortunately, none of them proved any more effective than the others. His fighting style was something peculiar, something she had never seen before. It followed no martial art she had ever seen. The shockwaves he created with every contact were the most difficult part. What looked like a half-hearted swat or an open hand thrust, were transparent forces strong enough to stop her attacks before they reached.

Determining the full reach of these shockwaves was possible, given enough time or expertise. However, Pyrrha had neither. To make matters worse he had no weapons made of metal, or any weapons at all. Her semblance was completely ineffective. Her aura was dropping faster than his and if things were to continue, her loss would only be a matter of time.

Despite all of this, there was an alien feeling in her heart. She fought an opponent whom she had no advantage over. The blessing that followed her in nearly every fight meant nothing. The very existence of the tournament seemed to blur within her mind.

" _Am I… enjoying this?_ " Pyrrha wondered, swinging her sword wildly. She stopped looking at the board, stopped hearing the roots of the audience. She didn't even notice that a thin smile was crawling onto her face.

As if a result of her state of mind, her weapon felt lighter. Pum, who held his ground almost flawlessly, was forced to steep back like he was being overwhelmed. Her swings reached closer than they had before. However, the ground she gained was quickly taken back. Juist as she had, Pum's movements became more swift and fluid. They continued to fight, nothing else particularly mattered.

Their battle was soon to conclude. Even if they didn't notice yet, their aura meters were considerably low. Pyrrha's meter was just barely above the safe limit of fifteen percent, while Pum's meter was above twenty. Nevertheless, the crowd continued to chant for the invincible girl.

"I've figured you out, by just a little bit." Pyrrha muttered, breathing erratically.

"About to lose your title, and yet you choose to just talk?" Pum asked, looking with an expression of prideful astonishment. "It's a little amazing. Everyone thinks they know, but then the truth hits them hard."

For a brief second, Pyrrha saw something in the boy's charcoal black eyes. Rather, a lack of something. They looked hollow for some reason. The "life" that seemed to emanate from him was gone.

"What do you me-" Still in the middle of a fight, Pyrrha maintained her guard even as she talked. However, she was still unable to properly defend. It was the opening he needed. Pum charged at Pyrrha, cocking a fist back. She swung her sword hard, but he made an unthinkable gambit.

Pum had stopped the swing like before, but in a vastly different way. With aura alone to protect him, he caught the blade of the sword with his bare hand. There was another explosion, one that felt stronger than any preceding shockwaves. Pyrrha's green eyes went wide with shock. She had never seen anything like it. No, she had seen something like it, something exactly like it. Her sword, the section of the blade that Pum had grasped was suddenly crushed by extreme pressure. Not done there, he proceeded to strike her with a series of punches in various places. Her aura plummeted past fifteen percent. With one last spear hand strike, her aura was completely destroyed. She fell to the floor, exhausted but unharmed.

The buzzer went off, and the crowd fell completely silent. The victor was _not_ Pyrrha Nikos, as everyone had expected. Nobody had imagined this outcome, even when they knew not what Pum was capable of.

After a full minute, there was single a clap. Then another clap, and the entire audience followed in giving an ovation. Unexpected as it was, still an incredible achievement. Yet, in the chorus of cheers and claps, there was a single voice.

"Get away from her!" a female screamed, her voice filled with rage and fury. That girl with white hair and silver eyes stared daggers from the lowest colosseum seats, grabbing the wall as if about to vault over it..

"Who… is that?" Pyrrha asked, looking concerned as she rose to her feet.

"Doesn't really matter." Pum said with a cold tone. He turned to look at Pyrrha. "I told you, the truth hits hard when you think you know it." Pum stepped closer to Pyrrha, raising up one hand slowly. Suddenly, it shot up, his fingers wrapping around Pyrrha's neck.

One last explosion, and the entire world stopped.

 **END**

 **It's only begun.**


	45. Chapter 45

**Oh yeah, to the uh, in response to Silver Zamasu's thing, I'll write requested stories for money. 2-3$ per chapter, each chapter will usually be 2-3k words if not more. #sellout**

 **Guest- You're not wrong, but I'm going to at least finish this before doing a full rewrite.**

 **G3r1k- Pushed a domino**

 **JustSk8n- To explain more specifically what the "Art of the Human Weapon" is. It is essentially the weaponization of aura and the soul. As a result, it can be used in a multitude of new ways that are normally impossible. Shockwaves are the most common and easiest to use. However, it can be** _ **shaped**_ **.**

Chapter 45

Undoubtedly this moment, in the 40th biennial Vytal Festival, was going to go down in history. One of the generation's most promising huntresses in training, touted as the "invincible girl" for several years, was defeated live for the entire world to see. However, it wasn't just that she was defeated. It was the aftermath that would cement its place.

The cheers and roars of the audience, the excitement and wonder that filled the air. It all vanished as if it never existed. After Pum's hand left Pyrrha's neck, she fell to the ground limp. She was still alive, her spasming eyes and quivering mouth that leaked blood were proof of that. She was unable to move, speak, or even breath. Despite his actions, Pum's expression of indifference remained. The girl who had shouted at him beforehand leapt down to the arena, sprinting towards him at top speed to the confusion of everyone.

As if on cue, the speakers within the large screen began to malfunction. First was a series of high pitched whirs and beeps which together sounded incoherent. However, they gradually softened and became rhythmic. The various sounds changed and organized into a voice. It was smooth, feminine, and assertive. The noise seemed to stop the girl mid-sprint.

"Ladies and gentlemen." The woman's voice began to speak. "This, is but the surface of the reality you've been blinded from. What you see here was not an accident. This is the consequence of the blind faith you hold in your so called strength. This is a result of the machinations of the four kingdoms. It is the result of the foolish actions taken by the last King of Vale. He thought that humanity could coexist with one another while under different banners, flags of different names. How truly foolish. This so called balance is as weak as paper. Heroes are merely part of your polluted imagination. In only a few seconds Mistral's greatest child is utterly destroyed by a representative of Vale, one that is rather close to Beacon's headmaster in fact. Well, perhaps that is a result of the kingdoms' unanimous choice to weaponize innocent children. Why does such a thing happen, you may ask? Well, I personally would chalk it up to the division of power. If there were only one kingdom, it would only be for the better. Unity under one kingdom, perhaps the advanced kingdom of Atlas, would strengthen the world against evil. Atlas seems to be in the midst of something suspicious already. Why else would the headmaster of Atlas Academy and general of their entire military be coming to Beacon Academy with such a massive arsenal of soldiers, warships, and weapons? We will see soon enough Vale's response to this hostile takeover. The world will know the truth, the truth of strength. Let this Colosseum be the first and only example."

With her last sentence finished, the screens cut to black. It was to nobody's' surprise that panic followed suit. The audience rose to their feet almost in unison, forcing their way towards the exits. The ground itself shook, but not just from their stampede. Even the fearful and running could feel the abnormal quaking of the stadium itself. Something was very wrong.

* * *

 **Atlesian Fleet Flagship**

* * *

"Ozpin, what is going on? Who was that on the microphone?!" Ironwood demanded, scowling as he slammed his fist on the table. He stared down the Ozpin on the screen in front of him. "Grimm activity is spiking around the borders of every kingdom. Scans indicate some unidentified ships within this airspace."

"Every available huntsmen within Vale has already been dispatched to provide assistance." Ozpin replied, keeping a calm look on his face. "I do not know who the speaker was, but it is obvious that their goal was to terrorize the kingdoms. We must act hastily. Your fleets have been stationed around the world, so use them."

"I would if I could, but something is keeping comms restricted. I cannot reach anywhere outside of Vale." Ironwood explained as he monitored a holographic diagram of the city. "What… there are some unidentified carrier ships circling the city. Interception teams are occupied with incoming nevermores. What can you do about it?"

He looked back to Ozpin, but something was wrong. Their connection lagged heavily, turning Ozpin's words into incoherent noises. The call was disconnected due to unknown reasons.. The CCCTs certainly remained standing, and even if they weren't, local communications would remain possible. Then he realized the problem. It was likely that any channel was being occupied by frantic and frightened civilians.

Behind Ironwood, a pair of doors opened to reveal a woman dressed in white. She walked quickly towards Ironwood, saluting to her superior. "General, there is something I need to report." Winter, Ironwood's second hand, announced.

"What is it? We don't have much time." Ironwood replied, keeping his attention focused on resolving the communication dilemma.

"Several unidentified transport ships have been observed within the airspace. They are refusing our attempts to identify. We do not have any personnel to spare in intercepting these ships. How shall we proceed?" She asked with a clear yet concerned tone.

Ironwood nodded quickly. "Give them a last warning. If they still show no signs of acknowledgement, take them out of the sky. Use the battleships if you have to. I refuse to take any chances."

"Yes sir!" Winter nodded, turning and walking away just as she had approached.

" _They made their move before we had a chance to react._ " Ironwood sighed, pressing his hand against the bridge of his nose. " _I was right. We should have been more wary all along. None of this would have happened if we had been more attentive and aggressive! No, I need to focus. Assessing the situation and re-establishing communication takes priority. I should also locate…_ "

"General, a large flock of Nevermores are approaching from the northeast. Border defenses are being overrun and reinforcements will not make in in time." A Lieutenant alerted.

"Concentrate our forces in areas with the highest Grimm concentrations. Send a squadron of interceptors from the lesser endangered sections. We need to established a safezone within the city." Ironwood commanded. "Deploy every knight we have."

"Negative, the knights on board this and the carrier ships are currently unresponsive to commands. We are trying to determine the issue as we speak."

"Damnit. Fine, load as many men we can into the paladins. Once in I want them on the ground, and get me a closed channel, I need to make a call now!"

"Understood."

* * *

 **Amity Colosseum**

* * *

"What just happened?!" Ruby shouted in a panic. In the sea of bodies, moving more discordantly than ever before, struggled to not get stampeded. She attempted to follow any singular flow of the crowd, keeping Yang, Weiss, and Blake constantly in her line of sight.

"Right now, it doesn't matter. We need to get out of here!" Yang shouted, her voice barely audible amongst the screaming of the students around them.

"Wait, everyone follow me!" Weiss suddenly created a staircase of glyphs for her team to climb. By giving them elevation above the crowd, they no longer needed to worry about being trampled or being swept away. "We can't go to the passenger ships. They'll be too crowded with students. I'll try to call my sister, get a ride for us." She explained, creating more glyphs ahead as a pathway.

"I-Is Pyrrha gonna be alright?" Ruby asked, looking back and forth between Weiss and the arena sporadically.

"I don't know. We can't focus on that though. I'm sorry, Ruby." Weiss replied, trying to maintain her concentration on her Glyph walkway. If she had lost focus, she wouldn't be able to maintain their position and they would end up back on the ground.

Another shake of the Colosseum, one that seemed to come from above. Team RWBY looked to the sky, and saw black and white. Creatures of Grimm of unusual varieties. Some were quadrupeds with horse-like bodies, but with wings and heads of birds. Others were winged as well, but with bones arranged to mimic the manes of lions.

"What are those?!" Yang stared wide eyed at the beasts, species that she had never encountered before.

"Griffons and Manticores, both are A ranked Grimm." Blake answered, recalling a short lecture by Professor Port earlier in the year. "Nobody has their weapons, and it's too late to call in our lockers. If those things get in, a lot of people are going to die." She warned with a grave expression. "Why are they even here? How'd they get past the Atlas Fleet? Or border defense turrets?"

It wasn't time to begin asking questions, as the force field that separated the Grimm from the unarmed students began to flicker. The thrashing and ramming from the Griffons and the fire breath from the Manticores was pushing the barrier to its limit and past. The shield would only last for a minute more, not enough for even a quarter of the students to escape.

It was a thought entertained for not a second longer. In an instant, the large chimerical creatures of Grimm vanished. It was not teleportation, nor did they just fly away. They would never do something like that unless more convenient prey appeared. Not prey, but a predator had reached them. The invisible ceiling suddenly turned orange. The outside covered in a massive flare. The black beasts were swallowed and incinerated by the flame indiscriminately. The students that watched were awestruck. It was nothing they had seen before. At least, except for a few.

Blake was forced to avert her eyes, lest her light-sensitive eyes be damaged by the intensity of the fire. "That was-"

"How'd he get on the outside of the Colosseum?" Weiss asked, a newfound look of genuine surprise contorting her face. She shook her head of the confusion and concern. It was stupid to think Madara didn't know what he was dealing with.

The sudden appearance of such a massive explosion seemed to have a side effect. The student body, that had witnessed a swarm of Grimm vaporized in an instant, fearfully scrambled for the exits, emptying out of the arena much faster than before. After all, something powerful enough to do that was naturally something to be feared more than the creatures of Grimm.

* * *

 **Exterior**

* * *

A flock of giant nevermore, numbering in several dozens. Their individual sizes matched and surpassed that of transport ships. Their feathers were as strong as steel and could be thrown at immense speed. Combined with various other grimm, they overwhelmed the Atlas fleet with sheer number. In one moment they cawed and targeted the evacuating ships. In the next, they evaporated as they fell towards the ground.

Bright blue projectiles comma-shaped beads intercepted countless avian grimm, exploding on contact with great enough force to destabilize their surrounding kin. The source of these projectiles stood atop one of the smaller but faster ships. It was the upper half of a four armed demon, a sapphire blue entity with a person standing within its ribs.

" _The Grimm are as weak as ever, but protecting this location is troublesome._ " Madara grumbled. Facing armies on his own wasn't something he was unfamiliar with, but protecting the school, the Colosseum, its airspace, and the area beneath, was indeed a challenge. He had created fifty shadow clones, each utilizing sage mode, to cover the area. It was not a shortage of chakra that prevented a larger quantity, but one of senjutsu's limitations. Shadow clones with senjutsu chakra that dispersed would transfer that chakra to the original, meaning a potentially fatal overload.

Not a single one was ill equipped to defend their positions, save for one aspect. The grimm didn't target him nor his clones specifically, and moved erratically. Surprisingly enough, he and his doppelgangers weren't the most negatively-oriented things in Vale.

It seemed like a pointless effort. No matter how many grimm were slain, another had already taken its place. Putting a number on the incoming grimm was pointless. It was simply a war of attrition, defend tens of thousands against the grimm that came from literally every direction. The once-dormant subterranean Grimm that began to surface were proving to be troublesome. The King Taijitu and their dual-heads meant that they needed to be completely destroyed with one hit, but wide-ranged jutsu weren't an option within the populated spaces… why weren't they options?

Something suddenly caught the original Madara's attention. He sensed the signatures of his adoptive siblings starting to build and flare abnormally. However, before he could concern himself with them, his scroll began to vibrate. He checked the screen, revealing the caller to be none other than Ironwood.

"Uchiha, do you copy?" Ironwood's voice rung loud and clear, with a concerned and frantic undertone hastily hidden.

"What is it?" Madara replied.

"Good, you're there." Ironwood said, sounding somewhat relieved. "We've been trying to gain control of the situation, but we're being stretched thin. We're still suffering technical issues, some kind of virus has invaded our systems. Even worse, several unmarked VTOLs are deploying Grimm into the densely populated areas. We have confirmation that the culprits are members of the White Fang. Civilians are in grave danger. Can you do something about this?"

"Get team RWBY out of the Colosseum." Madara commanded with an almost threatening tone. Without another word, Madara hung up and pocketed the scroll and scanned the airspace for indicated ships. Indeed, there were multiple within close proximity. They used the commotion of the situation to release their anti-human cargo. There were no weapons mounted to the ships, which were likely what .

Madara's eyes locked onto a group of four carrier ships, unmarked as explained and carrying grimm. After dispelling his Susanoo, Madara rocketed towards them with a single jump. Paper bombs and turbines did not mix well, but they mixed just as Madara desired. The lives of the pilots may have been endangered, but they knew the dangers they faced with the task they took. There was no sympathy to be had, especially not from madara.

One by one, he struck down the carriers like a gun would a bird. Even while interfering with whatever plan the White Fang had, he continued to protect the evacuating students from the Grimm. Unfortunately, a new problem was starting to emerge. He could feel small amounts of chakra re-entering his reserves, as well as the memories of his shadow clones. They weren't overrun and slain by their prey, but instead depleted of usable chakra and willingly dissipated. The Grimm were increasing in number and strength. Older and more resilient Grimm sensed the City's vulnerability and made use of the chance.

After eliminating the twentieth ship, Madara landed on a rooftop. The eighth of his clones dispersed and his chakra was slightly replenished once again. However, there was something far more pressing. The second after he landed, the building began to shake. However, he was far from any street-running or stampeding Grimm. The source of the quaking was coming from several kilometers away. A distant mountain, the only mountain within visual range, was the source. Madara could see the top of the mountain crumbling. No, the entire mountain was falling apart because of something from within. Despite the potential danger the culprit seemed to pose, it was no more than the second of his worries. There was a second cause of the shaking, something far more important.

A Grimm, a dragon-like Grimm, burst from the mountain. The sound of its screech was enough to kill an ordinary human. It spread its wings, each over twenty meters long. They flapped, creating winds strong enough to knock down houses. Black liquid dripped from its body, summoning juvenile Grimm in droves. To have been buried under a mountain, it must have been centuries old. It would require massive amounts of dust and constant bombardment to even damage the creature. The entire Atlesian Fleet that hovered over Beacon would have to combine their firepower and exhaust all of their ammunition to destroy the monster completely.

Such a creature, a titan so to speak, was suddenly gone. In a moment, it was completely vaporized. A bright orange explosion, perfectly round in shape, vaporized not just the dragon but the mountain and the surrounding area. It wasn't the doing of Madara's fire, or any of his other jutsu, but it was an attack of immense chakra. The resulting shockwave caused several air buses, ships used to carry the fleeing students, to lose their balance and descend rapidly.

Madara's eyes widened slightly once his eyes fell upon the culprit. A dirty white body, standing upright and several stories tall. Strings made of a A slime-like substance covered its body. It resembled a massive slug, save for one feature. Attached to its lower half were six massive tail-like appendages.

"Saiken, the six tailed beast."

 **END**


	46. Chapter 46

**Uh, sorry if these past chapters have been lackluster. My proofreader has been sick for some time. I'm open for anyone else who'd like to assist in beta reading.**

Chapter 46

First the emergence of a massive Grimm, one that could spell disaster for the city. Then, an explosion that shook the entire world, Even with a considerable distance and no direct contact, the strength of the detonation destabilized many fleeing airbuses. One of those buses, unfortunately, happened to house team RWBY.

Their half-pint leader, Ruby Rose, laid on the ground half conscious. The sounds of Grimm and human voices reverberated painfully in her head. She forced her heavy eyelids open, but everything was a blur. She could just faintly see a figure in white in front of her. For a moment, she thought of her mother. However, she quickly came to her senses and realized it was Weiss. She also realized that Weiss was protecting her from a slowly decreasing amount of Grimm.

"w-Weiss!" Ruby exclaimed weakly. She tried to push herself off the ground, but felt a sharp pain in her left arm when she tried to move it. Only then did she notice that she was wearing a large arm-shaped cast made of ice. Her aura must have not been able to completely and the cast was Weiss's doing. She cursed under her breath, lamenting her shortage of aura since that eventful training mission. Her legs and right arm felt fine, but she was primarily left handed.

Despite having chakra circulating her system it didn't seem to auto-heal like Luna's seemed to, and she knew no healing ninjutsu like Madara did. Perhaps it was the different coloration between her blue and Luna's red that allowed the latter to repair damages. It was something that she would have to ask about once they were to safety.

Switching to her right arm only, she rose to her feet and looked around for her scythe. It wasn't particularly hard to find, considering its size and color. Unfortunately, the place she found it was unfavorable. Something must have triggered the weapon's transformation, considering the head of the scythe was embedded into the side of a building and about ten meters off of the ground.

Weiss impaled the last present grimm with her rapier alone, her clothes torn and scratches covered her body. She presumably lost her aura as well, yet continued to fight the grimm on her own. She breathed harshly, her muscles aching with every passing second. She glanced back briefly, checking her rear and her newly-awakened partner

"Ruby!" she exclaimed, putting away her sword and running towards Ruby ecstatically.

"Weiss, are you hurt?" Ruby asked worriedly, clutching her iced left arm lightly.

"I've been better, but more importantly, are you alright?" Weiss reflected the question, eyeing the cast she made. "Try not to move your arm too much. It won't swell up as long as that's there, but it won't last very much longer. We need to find a safezone." She calmly explained to her leader.

"What about Yang and Blake? Where are they?" Ruby demanded. Weiss's expression was plenty, even without words.

Indeed, the second half of team RWBY was nowhere to be seen. Although, considering half of the ship they rode was also not present, there were plenty of possibilities, none of which were particularly promising. All that Ruby could hope for as they retrieved Crescent Rose and made their way to safety was that the two were better off than they were.

"Weiss… I just.." Ruby wanted to say something, stopped abruptly. An awful feeling filled her stomach. It certainly wasn't because of the crash. It was something she had before even the tournament began, yet only now showed its face once again. She forced herself to bear with it, pushing it down as far as she could. She couldn't show it on her face, not to Weiss, never to anyone.

"Hm?" Weiss glanced back puzzled.

"It's nothing, sorry." Ruby giggled, giving a hollow smile. Weiss may have noticed if they were in a better or more calm situation, but fortunately for Ruby, they didn't have the luxury of time. Ruby's arm wouldn't heal until her aura had replenished, and their environment was too dangerous to remain in.

" _Does she want to look for Yang and Blake?_ " Weiss wondered, frowning melancholically. "No, _we don't have any time for that. They're more than strong enough to deal with some Grimm. This is what we train for after all._ "

The two walked side by side, Weiss keeping a constant eye on her partner and leader. She didn't have the paper scroll she normally used to carry Crescent Rose, meaning that Ruby had to hold the weapon with one arm. Meanwhile, Weiss also kept her ears to the ground for any Grimm that might detect them.

* * *

 **Elsewhere**

* * *

"Hyya!" Yang threw a fast and hard right hook into an attacker. Rather than a creature of Grimm, it was a grunt of the White Fang. She didn't need her semblance or even aura to fight people of this level. These were untrained faunus civilians that probably joined very recently. They had no skill with their generic swords and firearms. To that effect, they were like wild animals.

Blake defended against a pair of swords, parrying them perfectly before knocking back one of them. She grabbed the color of the remaining attacker. She quickly ripped the mask from his face, staring daggers into his very soul.

"What is all of this supposed to be? What do you think you're doing?!" Blake shouted in the man's face.

"T-this is for the sake… of… faunus-kind!" He struggled to escape her grip, but to no avail.

"Faunus? How?! This isn't a reform, this isn't a fight for equality. This is terrorism, pointless destruction. You're hurting innocent people with all of this, people who've done nothing wrong.!" Blake screamed at him, baring her teeth.

"So-called innocent people… that just stand around and let us suffer." He muttered. Her eyes stood straight up and her grip tightened. She raised a fist and punched him hard across the face, hitting hard enough to knock him out with just one strike.

Yang pulled Blake back to reality, tapping her on the shoulder. "C'mon, we need to find Ruby and Weiss." She commanded with a stern look. "I don't even know where they could have landed. There's too much smoke in the sky to follow." She complained, gritting her teeth frustrated.

"Then we should get to higher ground. " Blake reasoned.

"There isn't a building tall enough for us to use. We have to search by ground." Yang countered, repeatedly swinging her head from side to side. "How are you holding up?"

"I'm fi-" Blake paused mid-step, her ears twitching as she turned her head to the side. She could hear screaming coming from nearby, as well as the sound of metal clashing. "There's someone in trouble."

As the two ran towards the source of the screams, they came across what looked like a battlefield. Several human bodies littered the ground. There were numerous deep gashes and impale wounds. It didn't take long to understand that every single one of them was already dead. Therein laid the question. If they were the ones screaming, who or what attacked them? Were they still nearby? If they weren't the source of the cries, what was?

Another scream, but they could both hear it this time. It was close, maybe within fifty meters. They could make words out of it, a cry for help that was cut off abruptly. They redirected and headed towards the second noise.

They came across a broken and burning store. Inside was another series of bodies, but with one difference. There was one survivor, but they were standing upright with a red sword in their hand. They wore all black clothes, and their eyes were covered by a mask. The color in Blake's face drained rapidly, while Yang's fists clenched angrily.

"After all this time, I finally found you." He said, pointing his katana towards Blake.

Without a moment's hesitation, Yang cocked her fist back and fired an explosive shell towards Adam Taurus. He blocked with his sword, and instead of exploding, the shining projectile was absorbed into his blade. Subsequently, the blade began to glimmer faintly.

Fortunately, the sound of Yang's gunshot was enough to break Blake out of her trance. She turned her head to the blonde. "Yang, his semblance is like yours. He can absorb and release energy whenever he wants through his sword." she explained, readying her katana and bladed scabbard.

" _Seriously?! So he needs that sword huh?_ " Yang thought, switching her stance to a defensive one. If their semblances were similar, then her best bet would be taking him out in one blow before he could do the same. Unfortunately, she lacked sufficient aura to perform such a feat. The most important thing was not charing his semblance while whittling down his own aura enough to finish him off..

* * *

 **Elsewhere**

* * *

"Saiken, the six Tailed Beast." Madara named, scowling at the slug like creature from afar.

A Tailed Beast this close to the school. How was it possible for the creature to remain undetected, especially when the surveillance array Madara established utilized natural energy? Was it another Jinchuuriki run rampant, like the Four Tails? How many Tailed Beasts were hiding in plain sight? Who may have held one without even realizing it? Whatever the case was, he needed to think about it later and focus. What mattered more was that the beast was there at all, too close to the populace with unknown motives.

Fortunately, it was still a good distance away from the city itself. Madara's aim was to subdue and seal away the Six Tails, before it could reach Beacon, just as he did with the Eight Tails. However, in order to accomplish this not only did he need to incapacitate the creature without destroying the city, but also to remove the acidic mucus that covered its skin.

The first order of business was drawing its attention away from civilization. If it got a chance, a tailed beast bomb could kill thousands. Madara channeled a large amount of chakra into his legs before pushing off with enough force to move the ship downward. He purposefully overshot in order to land on the other side of the creature. By flaring his Chakra, it was sure to notice him and react. While mid-air,

"Katon: Gōenka" Madara dropped dozens of large fireballs on top of the six tails' head, Each was several times larger and stronger than the standard fireball. They exploded on contact, causing Saiken to screech. With its attention drawn, he created another shadow clone and sent it off elsewhere.

" _That's it… focus on me_." Madara thought, watching its massive body turn towards him. As soon as its attention was clearly on the Uchiha a massive and wide-reaching wall of stone rose from behind it, cutting the both it and Madara off from the city.

Saiken, lowered its head close to the ground, before excreting a viscous white fluid onto the ground. It was one of the beast's unique abilities. The substance was an acid that could burn through even a Tailed Beast's skin. Fortunately it had chosen not to use its, equally as acidic, gas technique. Avoiding it wasn't the primary issue, but preventing it from escaping was. Were it to spread, there was no telling how many could die. However…

" _Why didn't it?_ " Madara wondered. The Tailed Beasts never seemed to care for humankind, even when he was a child.

Whatever the reason was, Madara took advantage of it. The powers of his mangekyou weren't going to be of any help. The fluid couldn't be absorbed and blocking it would only protect him. In order to prevent its spread, he created short walls of earth over the liquid and covered it further. Over a short time, it would lose its chakra and acidity before decomposing into water. However, he immediately jumped back as a pair of tails slammed down onto where he stood.

Saiken spat out another technique from the holes in its face. Rather than a corrosive pool, beams of water jetted out at extreme speeds. The water pressure must have been enough to break bones with even a slight grazing. The beast swung its head around, the streams of water going in every direction. Madara dodged, bobbing and weaving through the thin gaps between each stream.

"Hachiman." He activated the power of his right eye, deflecting one of the streams he couldn't avoid. With his right eye fully evolved to its eternal form, he no longer felt pain with its use and the chakra cost was much shorter.

Shortly after, the jets of water stopped and Saiken re-adjusted its posture. It turned its attention towards the stone wall, smashing into it with its own body until it broke through. Madara saw the opportunity and made four hand signs.

"Suiton: Suiryūdan no Jutsu"

A large serpentine dragon made out of water slammed into Saiken's body, pinning it against the stone it tried to break. With enough force, the mucus would peel away and allow contact. However, he was not yet done. While he continued to generate the wave, he performed another series of hand signs. Suddenly a stream of electricity flowed through the water. The combination further paralyzed the creature, ensuring that it would be unable to move. Soon enough, the mucus was removed. All that was left was to seal it away.

This would have been the end for any normal enemy. However, he was against a Tailed Beast and a master of Water Release. Saiken quickly acclimated to the handicap and faced the wall, even under the paralyzing conditions, it managed to compose itself and gather a large mass of chakra. It was creating a Tailed Beast Bomb. one that Madara wouldn't be able to negate. The Uchiha ceased his elemental assault and activated his Susanoo. Unlike the Hachiman, it would protect from all sides rather than just the front. Furthermore, its armored form was certainly enough to withstand a few bombs. The clone that remained on the sidelines expanded the wall into a dome, covering the two with the densest rock it possibly could.

" _A shame_." Madara scowled, looking up towards the head of his construct. Even amongst the other susanoo he had seen, his armored form was significantly larger. Even someone kilometers away would be able to spot the blue beacon, which meant an enemy could see him while he could not. Secrecy was no longer an option.

Saiken released the chakra bomb, and the awaited detonation arrived. Rather than blown apart, the entire dome was vaporized in an instant, but the surrounding land was relatively unharmed. The hundred meter crater they made was a small price to pay.

Madara sighed, groaning quietly to himself. The two arms of his Sharingan's greatest power extended out, making squeezing gestures. Bright blue flames burst from them, before condensing and molding into a pair of crooked swords. The swung down into the ground, sending two crescent blades of chakra towards the beast. Two direct hits, and Saiken was toppled over.

While still recovering, Saiken fired a barrage of Tailed Beast Bombs, albeit significantly smaller and weaker versions. They bombarded the armor of Madara's susanoo, but to little or no effect. One the swords transformed into the bead-shaped yasaka magatama. They flew into the Six Tails, causing it to scream once more.

In the midst of their battle, Madara suddenly dispelled the susanoo and dashed towards Saiken. He crossed his fingers together, summoning four clones around him.. Upon manifestation, the doppelgangers scattered around the slug, their left pupils spinning wildly. Their ten hands pressed against the beast's dry skin, devoid of acid, and activated the Uke-Mochi.

The chakra that comprised its body was forcefully drained and converted into the chains that then bound it. Just as with the Eight Tails, it was being sealed within Madara's bodies. Once the four dispersed, the chakra they absorbed would return to him as well. Saiken attempted to resist, but the damage it had taken and the chakra it had used up exhausted its strength. If not for its cries, it would have been no different than the time with the Eight Tails.

The Six Tails shrunk in size, its skin turning black and red like its predecessor. The chakra chains pulled it into his body with violent force. In short time, it had vanished into him, leaving Madara alone with his shadow clones. The four promptly dispersed, and he received their shares of the chakra.

"That's… two down…" Madara muttered, pausing as his body was trying to acclimate to its new conditions. Unlike before, he wasn't pulled into a mindscape. It was likely that the Six Tails had nothing to say, which Madara was indifferent to. The second of nine were contained with relative ease. What was otherwise important now was ensuring the safety of team RWBY, who narrowly survived the shockwave of the first Tailed Beast Bomb.

Suddenly, a vibration came from his pocket. His scroll was buzzing once more. The screen displayed the name Ironwood, although what was most interesting was that the device hadn't been broken during the commotion. Regardless, he answered.

"What is it now?" He asked, making his way back towards the city. "Has team RWBY been extracted safely?"

"There has been some kind of complication. Whatever your doppelgangers are, I need you to direct them fully to evacuation. The city needs to be completely empty within the hour."

"Explain." Madara demanded, increasing his speed twofold.

There was a moment's hesitation, obvious in his strained tone. He breathed out before answering with a grave tone. "The Amity Colosseum's Gravity Arrays, what allows it to remain airborne, have been irreparably damaged by an unknown assailant. Based on its trajectory, it will come down in forty minutes on the city and the CCCT. there is nothing that our technicians can do."

Madara scowled at the thought, seeing from afar that the Colosseum was indeed descending at a startling rate. He absolutely could not allow the destruction of the tower, lest communications with the rest of the world come to a halt. If the announcement of that woman was the last thing the world heard, there was no telling how the other kingdoms were going to react.

" _Chakra reserves... barely enough._ " Madara thought, irritably heading back towards the city.

 **END**


	47. Chapter 47

**Waffenmia- not sure what Michelin hot dogs are.**

 **Hey, so my beta reader is back from the dead. They've been pretty sick/hospitalized for the past month or two. They're feeling better now and will be back to beta for the next chapter. Apologies for the quality if you think it's dropped for the past few chapters.**

Chapter 47

Through the ruined streets, a lone person walked steadily and calmly. There wasn't a single scratch or indication of damage on their body. Any approaching Creature of Grimm was skewered by multiple swords before they could get close. In the hand of this person was a small cube-shaped device with the Atlas flag's logo engraved on the side. Its interior carried a number of deactivated devices, including a GPS and a bionic voice-box.

The owner of this device and those swords, Penny, walked through the ruined streets of the city. She travelled alone, without the company or supervision of her sibling and Roman. Reconnection to either wasn't possible at the current time, She listened and watched, searching for something in particular. Although, her use of aura-reading and vocal recognition systems indicated that the something was in fact _someone_.

"Where are you?" Penny said aloud, clutching the box softly. She kept it firmly in her hand, rather than putting it away, as if she planned to use it regardless of the risk. " _I won't be able to communicate with him, but perhaps I can have one of his sisters can relay the message._ " She thought, frowning disappointedly.

As she walked, something had caught her ears. There was a voice that caused her to stop in the middle of the street. It was incredibly faint, but definitely human and female.

She heard it once more and turned in the direction it came from. However, before she could take a single step, her foot stopped mid-air. It twitched, as if rejecting the commands it was being sent. It lasted only a second. Once she regained control over, Penny continued down the road, heading towards the voice she heard. Her pace increased, knowing that the time she had was limited. Thanks to Torchwick's "employers", the Amity Colosseum was soon to fall.

By her calculations, the amount of time was a little over half an hour. However, that prediction was very quickly rendered null. Before her very eyes, three massive pillars were erected. Two were made entirely of stone and dirt. The third was a humanoid body wrapped in light and blue fires. It was taller than the CCCT, larger than any contraption built by any kingdom let alone Atlas. Two equally and impossibly large arms sprouted from its body, pressing its hands against the bottom of the Colosseum. The ground shook upon contact, but more importantly, the Colosseum's descent had all but stopped. Depending on how long it remained, the destruction of the city and the CCCT could be prevented indefinitely.

Though not for certain, Penny had an idea of what the titan's source was, making her even more eager. She wanted to remain, to gather as much info on it as possible. Not to fulfill her assigned mission, but to sate her own curiosity. Regardless, she ripped herself away and pursued the voice she heard. The distraction, that was the monolith, took away valuable seconds, but it didn't feel like a waste of time.

* * *

 **Elsewhere**

* * *

Yang charged headfirst towards Adam and dodged underneath his first swing. Before she could swing, she was caught off guard by the speed of Adam's correction. Without any space to dodge, she blocked with both arms. Blake was quick to follow, using the opportunity to strike. However, Adam was able to throw Yang off and perform a perfect parry..

"Is that all you've grown the past year?" Adam barked angrily. He pushed his former partner back, firing multiple shots from the rifle that was his sheath.

Yang recovered and attacked again. She screamed as she threw rapid punches, all directed towards her enemy's chest and face. While a fraction of those thrusts landed, they only cleared up just how much more aura he had compared to her. She mentally facepalmed. Of course he would have a mostly intact aura. _He_ wasn't in a crash landing.

However, there was still an opportunity for the two girls. Though Yang's and Adam's semblances were similar, there was a substantial difference. Yang's semblance would make each of her punches stronger based on the amount of damage she took. As long as she had aura, she could hit with infinitely more force. Adam's semblance stored energy from attacks and combined them for use in a single attack aimed directly at the target's aura. With even a small amount of energy stored, he could shatter her aura and let the sword do its work on her unprotected body.

Without a word between the two, Yang gave a calm look to Blake. She seemed to understand, as her posture suddenly shifted. She stepped back from Adam, bringing her hands closer to her face like a boxer. She thinned the gap between her legs, but remained fleet-footed. Her eyes, which had until then been red, switched back to their usual lilac. The air itself that surrounded her seemed to change. Rather than a brawler, she looked more like a martial artist.

"I think I've figured out how to win. Leave this to me." Yang whispered to Blake, smiling proudly at the masked faunus. " _Can't fight like I'm trying to kill a Grimm, this'll take something different._ "

Adam charged at her, swinging for her neck, but Yang ducked at the very last second and fired a slug between his feet. The recoil pushing her arm up and allowing her to aim for the side of his head. She aimed for the temple, but narrowly missed merely knocked Adam back. Not wasting any time, she pushed forward with her momentary opening and feinted before sweeping his feet from underneath. Adam rolled further back, using his sword to regain balance and stand upright. However, before he could steady himself, Yang fired all remaining rounds in her gauntlets at his head, diminishing his aura substantially. His aura remained

" _I guess that's what I should've expected for never practicing.._ " Yang clicked her tongue in disappointment. She was hoping that he would have been disoriented for at least a little longer.

" _Is she trying to kill him?_ " Blake's jaw was left hanging open, astonished by her partner's performance and unusual choices. "What… was that?" she asked.

Yang looked at Blake briefly, shrugging her shoulders while keeping her guard up. "Uh, not sure really. I've just spent a lotta time fighting with Madara. It worked on him once, so I figured it'd work on this chump." She laughed dryly, breathing heavily from exhaustion.

From before attending Signal Academy to very recently, Yang trained with Madara as a sparring partner. Every one of those fights ended in her loss regardless of how much stronger or smarter she became. The knowledge she gained from the combat schools was all but worthless, and seemed to actually impede her. Before long she learned that what she lacked was the same as Ruby. the missing component of her fighting ability was her lethal intent towards humans. Huntsmen shouldn't have needed it, they fought Grimm not humans. This was a different case, however. Even if she didn't plan on it, she had to fight as if she was going to kill her opponent.

Adam reorganized himself, his hair and sword now glowing red as an indication of its accumulated power. "Blake, I need you to go and look for Ruby and Weiss. I'll take care of this and catch up with you, alright?" Yang asked, putting her trust into Blake, before jumping back into battle.

However, instead of complying, Blake remained fixed in place. For some reason, she could not move her shaking arms or legs as she wanted. Rather, she didn't know what she wanted to do. All she could think was the danger that Yang was in, what she just might be able to do.

Their battle only became more dangerous for the two. Even with a change in approach, taking damage was an inevitability for Yang. " _I'm not as good as Madara"_ she thought after every attack landed on her. Her aura-break was soon to come, and that would spell the end for her. However, the more she fought on death's ground, the more strength she found within herself to push on. None would be able to explain why she managed to fight at full capacity after being drained substantially beforehand, yet it was so.

"So this is what I was abandoned for." Adam spat bitterly. Pushing Yang back a short distance. "You'd best be careful around her, blondie. Who knows when she'll ditch you too."

"Shut up!" Yang shouted, missing a punch and taking his blade to the midsection. She could afford two more of those at most, before she was completely vulnerable.

"You think you've known her long? Try years of fighting side by side, for the good of our entire species. All you are to her is another person to ditch." He continued to exploit the girl's temper, taking advantage of it to land another clean hit. He stared into her eyes, which had become red like blood with anger.

"Don't you dare talk about her like that." Yang growled, unintentionally activating her semblance, reducing her aura, and charging her fist with all of the damage she had taken since the crash. She was certain that with the amount of energy she stored, if she aimed for a vital area, she could break his aura with her next punch. With that faith, she charged in for one last clash. However, the audience thought differently.

Disaster. The word that was soon to follow. It was as if the world slowed, letting Blake see the sword's red glow grow in intensity. He was about to use his own semblance. Even if Yang could land a solid hit, his aura would absorb the damage and he could counter before she could follow up. Succeed or not in her last ditch effort, Yang was going to die.

Knowing this, rather _fearing_ this, Blake leapt into action. Using her speed and one last shadow to kick off from, she reached the distracted Adam just before Yang could. She aimed for his hands, hoping that she could disarm him.

" _Even if it's just that much, it'll be plenty._ " She thought, swinging down on Adam's hands. However, even this hadn't gone as planned. The ground shook violently and inexplicably, causing Adam to lurch slightly forward. As he regained balance, he noticed the faunus girl within the corner of his eye. In a fraction of a second, he moved to evade.

Rather than hitting his wrists, her sword grazed his chest, peeling away more of his aura than she had expected. However, she lost her balance during the quaking and fell to the floor. She spun her body around before impacting the floor, allowing her to see Yang in full view. Her hair glew with an reddish golden flame, one she had seen countless times. Yet, unlike before, there was a thin blue-ish outline that moved autonomously.

With more power than even her semblance should have supplied, Yang's fist slammed into Adam's chest with force similar to a falling meteorite. Both she and Blake could see his aura completely shatter from her punch.

Unfortunately, she was still not quick enough. The red single-edged sword remained in the male Faunus' hand, and he used it to return the favor. He thrusted it forward, pushing with all the strength he had into the center of Yang's chest..it passed through her shirt and skin like wet paper, making a crisp tearing noise as it moved further and further, before passing completely through. Blood quickly began to seep out from the wound as well as from her quivering lips.

Silence fell on the three, but only for a moment. Seconds passed as they remained stock still, before there was an odd mechanical shifting noise coming a short distance away. Blake turned to look at what sounded like Crescent Rose, only to see a red blur pass through her field of view towards Yang and Adam.

There was another brief noise, the sound of something being ripped apart, and then a thud against the ground. A mask skid across the ground, its owner no longer capable of wearing it.

* * *

 **Elsewhere**

* * *

" _How irritating_." Madara thought, arriving at his destination beneath the Colosseum.

An invasion of Grimm, with a size that one may see during the end of the world, caused by the fall maiden's thief and a seemingly affiliated Beacon student. A useless robotic army and evacuation ships that required protection courtesy of Atlas. A falling island with Vale being its target, A tailed beast that had suddenly appeared, from and for unknown reasons, and the Rinnegan remained out of his reach..

Overall it was _not_ the worst case scenario, although it was rather close. At the very least, there was only a single Tailed Beast and it had eliminated a potentially troublesome grimm. Though he eliminated the threat that the Tailed Beast, Saiken, posed, the grimm remained as a cause for concern. Their numbers were ever increasing, thanks to the surplus of negative emotions on which they fed. Stopping the Colosseum could provide a solution to that negativity and fear.

Rendezvousing on his position were the many clones he had created earlier. Every one of them, and the fractions of their remaining chakra, had to be gathered in order to proceed. All but two dispersed into clouds of smoke, providing their original with chakra which was then re-transferred to the remaining. They nodded to one another, before Madara's mangekyou sharingan activated once more.

" _To think I'd use that for something like this. It can't be helped._ " he grumbled, crossing his arms and activating his eyes' third power once more.

Fiery blue chakra exuded from his body, pouring out in massive quantities and taking the shape of a torso. It continued to grow at an increasing rate. In seconds, Madara was lifted several stories off of the ground, suspended in the chest of the humanoid Susanoo. It dwarfed the two and three story buildings, but wasn't near its full size. It grew beyond the height of its armored form, surpassing the height of Beacon's tower.

The Complete Body Susanoo, a colossus that surpassed a Tailed Beast in power. Humanoid in shape, wearing samurai-like armor. Two massive wings sprouted from its back, although flight seemed impossible given the size of the body, each acting also as a sheath. Hidden within the folded wings were a pair of single edged swords made of the same blue chakra as the rest of its body. With a single swing, those blades could split oceans and rend mountains. The Complete Body Susanoo was, to many shinobi of Madara's old world, the embodiment of destruction itself. Using it as he was about to felt, _off_.

Standing within the head of his Susanoo, Madara's breathing had hastened, becoming more heavy thanks to chakra exhaustion. Adding insult to injury, the non-Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan that was his left eye caused a distracting pain to his entire body. Nonetheless, he commanded his ethereal titan into motion. Its arms, which rested at its sides, raised above its head. Its fingers spread out, waiting to catch the body heading towards it.

Upon contact, it felt as if the world shook. An incredible weight descended upon Madara's humanoid construct, sending countless vibrations through it and into the ground below. Its feet planted over a meter lower into the ground, leaving two massive footprints. Despite that, Madara had yet to waver.

In under a minute, the malfunctioning arrays of dust were relieved of their duty. The Colosseum was held up, not by advanced technology, but by what seemed like divine providence. With its hands and its hands alone, the Susanoo alone supported the weight of the manmade island. As it did, Madara's two clones performed two Earth Release Jutsu, creating massive pillows of stone and dirt that rose beside the blue titan. They too pressed against the bottom of the Colosseum, sprouting appendages of their own to cover more surface area.

The shaking had stopped, the pillars had fully formed and as Madara removed his Susanoo's hands from the island, it remained motionless. Madara breathed a sigh of relief, deactivating his sharingan and dispelling the Susanoo. However, as he made his descent to the ground, his chest tightened uncontrollably. It was like his heart stopped and started repeatedly, rather, every cell in his body was in a constant state of combustion..

" _What the hell?!_ " He thought, clutching his shirt tightly. He reactivated his sharingan in one eye to investigate the cause of this disturbance. There was reddish-orange chakra within him that was flowing wildly, chakra belonging only to the Tailed Beasts. It was then that he remembered the words of Gyuki, the Eight Tailed Beast.

"I'll be looking for any possible chance to escape and kill you." A perfect opportunity. The time where Madara was at his weakest, where his chakra was the weakest. The Beast's words repeated multiple times, but muffled by two distinct wails. He could hear the roar of the Eight Tails and the screech of the Six Tails, both attempting to break him apart from the inside.

 **END**


	48. Chapter 48: End of Part 4

**Crazy Hot Uchiha- I've read your review and would like to say thank you. I don't think it's a flame at all, and appreciate these kinds of comments. I understand what you mean by focusing on wrong characters. The reason I do so is to make a world worth caring about with people that matter that aren't just Madara. He is the most important, but not the only one important. As far as the Rinnegan goes, The point of giving her the eye was to create dramatic irony. Madara's goal is to reclaim his powers, and now one of them requires hurting his own family, which he would be reluctant on doing. Neither of these are excuses, and I am going to try and improve. Hopefully you stay around to see my change.**

 **Greer123- Saved? A man like Madara never needs to be "saved" umu.**

Chapter 48

Within the half-materialized Susanoo, Madara grasped at his chest. Much like his shirt, his entire body verged on tearing apart. His body, short on its supply of chakra, bore the brunt of two Tailed Beasts simultaneously trying to literally rip themselves out of his chest.

Only once before had there been an attempt to seal more than a single Tailed Beast inside oneself. It, unsurprisingly, ended in the escape of both and death of the would-be Jinchuuriki. Not even the Uzumaki, known for their unrivalled vitality and longevity, dared to make an effort in the matter. The only known container that could withstand more than one, even to Madara, was the Gedo Statue. However, it was not an option, nor was leaving the two run amok. It was a dangerous gamble, but one that he wasn't stupid enough not to plan for.

The blue chakra chains, a newly developed Fuinjutsu crafted with various basic techniques and the Uke-Mochi, had one more feature. It had never been tested before and as such the chance of success was unknown. However, that was no excuse. He could not, and _would_ not

" _Now or never._ " Madara thought, gritting his teeth and reactivating his Mangekyou Sharingan.

Vision in his left eye became slightly blurred, but he activated the Uke-Mochi nonetheless. With a hand over his heart, Madara began to drain the Tailed Beasts' chakra. In doing so, he could replenish his own reserves. He could see the raging streams of orange chakra starting to calm, before it spiked once more. The screams of both Beasts, the sound of one last for their freedom, echoed in his head.

" _To think that I would have let my guard down at a time like this. Commendable but even so I cannot allow for either of you to escape, and I won't. You may be Tailed Beasts, but even if I am weakened, I'm still Madara Uchiha. So give up, your time wasting is costing lives._ " there was a short and sudden pause in their howls, before they finally began to fade. Their strength had finally seemed to be stripped away.

The two Tailed Beasts were once again under control, and for their troubles, Thanks to the success of his stunt, not only was Madara alive, his chakra reserve was partially replenished using the Tailed Beasts' chakra. Just as with Shukaku's, this chakra felt heavier and more volatile than regular or Senjutsu chakra. On Madara's command the Susanoo finished disappearing, evaporating into the air like fire without fuel. Subsequently, gravity was able to regain control and pull him back to the ground. Instead of using a jutsu to lighten his weight, he fell normally and cracked the ground upon impact. Brushing himself off, Madara finally checked his scroll.

There were notifications from multiple sources. Most of which were ignored, except for two. One was from Ruby, the other from an unexpected source. He remembered the name clearly; it belonged to the girl who became his partner before suddenly disappearing. He cocked an eyebrow, suspiciously proceeding into a text window, holding a single message;

"I do not know whether this message will be received. However, I will proceed as if I was certain that it will." The wall of text began. "Madara Uchiha... I had initially planned to locate you and relay this direct. There is much that I would like to explain, but time is limited. I am a machine, just a mass produced experiment by the kingdom of Atlas. I had the task of information gathering; attending a huntsmen school to learn and think more autonomously, more humanely. However, our encounter had quickly changed my primary directive. I had taken the initiative to study the potential sources of your undefinable plethora of abilities. However, after seeing your construct, the blue giant, I've decided to abandon this endeavor. I apologize in advance, for your sisters Ruby and Yang, but they should be safe soon. Goodbye, Madara Uchiha."

Madara stared at the message speechlessly. In particular, he focused on her referral to Ruby and Yang. Without time to waste, he crossed his fingers to perform the Kage Bunshin no Jutsu. However, before he did, he sensed a spike of Tailed Beast chakra coming approaching him at an alarming rate. Considering the lack of tremors or appearance of one of the beasts, the source was more likely to be a Jinchuuriki.

He didn't need to search far, as after crossing about half a kilometer, he came across a large ring of molten lava. Several dozens of Grimm surrounded the ring's outside, baring their fangs and claws at a group of unarmed civilians at the center. They were not all unarmed, in fact, one of them was completely covered in lava as if it were a suit.

"Oh, it's you!" The figure at the center, Luna, called out to Madara. She received no response from the Uchiha, but continued. "Hey, keep a few ways back. I have this under control." the lava around her body flowed quickly, gathering at her hands and forming thin meter long pillars. She proceeded to melt away the grimm with ease, before dispelling the ring, and allowing the people that she had saved to escape unharmed.

"Are you doing alright as well, Madara?" Luna asked, shedding the armor of lava as she approached. There was no response, only a blank stare from the Uchiha. "Ah, i guess not… well, make sure you get yourself out of here to safety. When that giant blue thing showed up, I got this bad feeling in my stomach. Who knows what it'll do next time. Good luck Mr Rose,"

Madara clenched his fists angrily, irritated at himself once more. With his chakra reserves replenished, it would be easy enough to defeat the girl and reclaim yet another beast. It would mean one less danger and one less cause for concern. Yet, he couldn't move in on the opportunity. His body would not move under the commands of his mind.

" _Not going to?_ " He heard the mocking voice of the Eight Tails, followed by the creature's insulting laughter.

" _Shut up. I don't need to hear ridicule from the ones I've defeated._ " He thought, ignoring any further comments from the beast. Returning to focus, he turned away from Luna, leaving to search for Ruby and Yang. After watching the Jinchuuriki in action he was able to confirm that it was under control, at least for the time being. He could afford to postpone its capture until a later date.

" _Why did she put their last name on me?_ " he asked himself as he activated his Sharingan. He shrugged off the thought, shelving it as a less important matter. She likely heard about his relationship with Ruby and Yang, not knowing about his origin.

* * *

 **Elsewhere**

* * *

" _What… just happened?_ " Ruby asked herself, her mouth left slightly open. She could feel her arm extended out behind her, with the familiar feel of Crescent Rose's poel in her hand. She turned her head around, seeing her scythe's head digging into the ground. More importantly, its blade had a red stain splattered across it. Just a short distance away was a mask and further from that, in front of Adam's feet, was his head.

Ruby's eyes went wide, letting go of Crescent Rose and backing away. She could see Blake and Weiss staring at her and her handy work.

"T-that's… I, i didn't mean to-" Ruby tried to say, pleading more so to herself than anyone else. However, her train of thought was derailed as Yang pulled the sword from her chest. In the process, she coughed up another splotch of blood before falling to her hands and knees.

The removal of the weapon revealed a large wound, a hole slightly off center from her chest to her back. It had just barely missed her heart, but the damage was still grievous. The three quickly rushed to her aide, yet not a single one of them seemed to have a solution. Ruby looked to Blake and Weiss with hopeful eyes. She reached for Yang's hand, but quickly withdrew it when she noticed the blood on hers.

"We need to help her. What do we do?!" Ruby all but screamed.

"I… we need to stop the bleeding. Hold her arms down. Ruby, give me your hood!" Weiss demanded. Ruby obliged, taking the red cloth from around her neck and handing it over. Her heart lurched within her chest as she watched it get torn apart in her partner's hands, but it was a small price under the circumstances.

"Are you sure this'll work?" Blake asked.

Weiss was silent. Of course she wasn't. There was no way to tell if anything could help her at this point. To make things worse, the grip she held Ruby's hand with was rapidly starting to lose strength. Weiss tore off a piece of Ruby's hood, wadding it into the shape of a ball and stuffing it into Yang's mouth. She then created an Elemental Glyph with her remaining aura, coating her sword in a bright fiery glow.

"You're going to-" Before Ruby could finish her sentence, Weiss pressed the orange section of her sword against the open wound, causing a horrid singeing noise to exude out. If not for the cloth keeping her mouth open, Yang may have bit her own tongue off as she screamed in pain. Her body convulsed, and even weakened as she was, she would have been unable to hold still without Blake and Ruby pinning her arms and legs.

" _Come on Yang. hang in there…_ " Ruby thought, verging on tears as she held her sister.

The hot metal continued to sear Yang's skin, eventually numbing the pain enough that she could calm down. As Yang's voice dimmed, Blake's ears twitched in response to an electric hum.

She didn't need to warn her team, as soon the other three could hear the noise loud and clear. More than just hear, they could see a weird glowing pink light protruding from one of the walls. It moved slowly across the wall, melting through the weak drywall in the process. The door-shaped piece of wall was suddenly ripped away from its place by a group of golden threads, revealing a human and faunus pair on the other side. They were two members of Team PNNK.

"Hey, are you all alright?" Kari asked, running towards the junior team.

Blake reached for her weapon, transforming it into its handgun form and pointing the barrel at the boy. He quickly halted his advance and held his hands up.

"Stay away!" she shouted at the boy, angrily baring her teeth at the two.

"H-hang on. We're not here to fight." Kari pleaded. "Look, we know what you're thinking, but we had nothing to do with what happened."

"How do you expect us to trust you?" Weiss followed, glaring at the boys.

"If it helps at all, we were just with a professional huntsmen. Messy hair, gray clothes, used a greatsword." Neko explained with a hopeful look. He quickly noticed Yang's condition, the hair on his ears standing up. "Come on and follow us. There's a evacuation zone a ways away."

The three passed looks between one another, unsure of whether to give a yes or no.

"That sounds like Qrow, but we don't know if this is some lie or trick." Blake whispered.

"Blake's right, we can't trust them yet. We just don't have enough information" Weiss concurred, frowning disappointedly.

"But we don't have any other options. If we don't do anything, Yang's going to… She'll die!" Ruby tried to hoist Yang up alone as she rose to her feet, but got nowhere without the help of her teammates.

"Ruby, hang on. We still need to figure out whether this is safe or not." Weiss repeated.

"We don't have time!" Ruby shouted, trying once more to pull Yang off the ground. "I still don't have a really know on what's going on, but no matter what, I can't sit around while Yang's dying." She spoke quickly and more commandingly,

"H-hey, i'm… not dead, yet." Yang weakly muttered. Tugging at Ruby's sleeve lightly. Unfortunately, as if on cue, her arm suddenly let go and went limp. "Oh no, there I go."

"Yang, stop playing around, we're trying to figure out how to save your life." Blake snapped, staring angrily at Yang.

"Just take me with… them. Dead otherwise…" she said, her eyelids closing shut.

Kari crossed his arms, "See? Your wasting precious time y'know." Neko said, taking a relaxed posed with his arms behind his head. "We're glad to lend hands, but if you don't want our help, we'll go look for others."

Silence reigned for no more than a few seconds. In particular it lasted so short, yet also so long, only because of Ruby. However, though gritting her teeth and squeezing her hand tightly, she finally came to a decision on her team's next move.

"Please, help us." Ruby asked, looking at the two ashamedly.

Ignoring the expression she wore the two moved closer, pushing aside Weiss, Blake, and Ruby aside. The golden thread around Kari's arms unravelled, taking the shape of a large rectangular board that Neko could lay Yang onto. With Ruby's sister and weapon in hand, the group made their way towards the open street,

Finally, Team RWBY finally had a brief chance to breathe and think, allowing Ruby to take a look at Kari's "weapon". Despite adding her weight, the board hadn't dipped down in the slightest. The word "support" didn't even seem to fit, as the two threads that connected it to Kari looked as if they were normal string.

"I'm sorry about what happened." Kari blurted out, causing Ruby to flinch.

"O-oh, uh, sorry about what?" Ruby asked confusedly.

"Your sister, and what Pum did." He answered, sighing in disappointment. "I don't know why he did something like that, or what's going on."

"It's not your fault," Ruby quickly replied, caught off guard. "I mean, who could've expected something like that to happen? I just, hope as many people got out as possible… uh, on another note, what are those made of?" "

"It's a special alloy from my family's company." Kari answered, glancing back at the board Yang laid on. "It's modified though, so it can perfectly channel aura, letting me move it however I want like it's apart of me." He explained, noticing the eager look in her eyes. "I'm guessing you want to know how to make it yourself, but it's a bit of a trade secret."

"Oh, that's alright." Ruby awkwardly retracted, ending their conversation then and there. She looked down at her hand, staring at the stain of blood splattered across her palm, and back to her Crescent Rose. " _I killed him… didn't I?_ " She recollected, examining the back and front of her hand. "I didn't _mean to, but it's fine, right? What he did to Yang, he was a villain, he was going to hurt more people…_ "

 **END**


	49. Chapter 49

**Jjjj- Well, I recall Obito calling himself the next Sage while using the powers of the Ten Tails. If not, then Kabuto did in his fight with Itachi and Sasuke. Granted, that's about as invalid as one can be, but y'know.**

Chapter 49

"Two days ago, for the very first time, the Vytal Festival has come to an abrupt halt." The news host announced with a solemn frown. "The Amity Colosseum was sabotaged, doomed to fall upon countless innocent civilians. To make matters worse, law enforcement and local huntsmen were nearly overwhelmed by a massive influx of Grimm; subterranean and airborne. The identity of the anonymous speaker is still unknown. Rumors have begun to spread between the kingdoms regarding the origins of this radical. Little about the current situation is certain, however, it is known that the infamous White Fang was partially responsible for the incident. Sienna Khan, highest leader in the organization, has denied responsibility for the events and refused to comment further. No other information has been released."

"What a load of bullshit." Taiyang scowled, shaking his head disapprovingly. "Are they going to blame it on a splinter group again? At least take a little responsibility for the violence you started."

"In light of the situation a high-ranking member of the organization and culprit of the attacks, Adam Taurus, was successfully apprehended. On top of that, it would seem that there is a supernatural force on our side." The straight face the host wore turned to a small but hopeful smile. The screen that panned over destroyed building after destroyed building suddenly cut to a different image, one that caused Taiyang to do a spit take.

The screen displayed the recording of the Amity Colosseum being held up a massive blue humanoid and two stone pillars.

"According to eyewitness reports, this creature, dubbed by social media as the 'Blue Titan', had appeared out of thin and proceeded to prevent the fall of the Colosseum. Thanks to the timely intervention of this entity, medical teams had discovered and rescued the still-alive Pyrrha Nikos. After which, it just as quickly vanished, leaving behind two massive rock pillars. Said stone structures appear to be supporting the Colosseum's weight. There is no clear explanation for this occurrence. The only confirmable information we have is that the CCCT remains intact. However, many questions remains. One of which would be; in the event of another calamity, will it appear to protect us once more?"

Abruptly, the T.V. was shut off, the screen flashing to black. Taiyang put down the remote, standing up to the sound of footsteps. He turned around, seeing Blake carrying a plate and cup in her hands. She stared back at him timidly, locked in their awkward silence.

"Oh, bringing that to Yang?" He asked, smiling proudly.

Blake flinched at his question, but nodded. "Yeah, she looked hungry, and it's about time for her medication."

Taiyang sighed with an almost apologetic smile on his face. "Ah, I was actually getting up to grab them anyways. Thanks for looking out for her, you know, since she can't do much right now."

"Oh, no it's fine. You don't need to thank me for anything." Blake shuffled away from Taiyang in a hurry, scurrying towards Yang's room.

Taiyang scratched the back of his head worryingly. It didn't take much to see how uncomfortable Blake appeared, but he didn't have any knowledge on why. The best guess he had was that she felt guilty about something, something that had to do with Yang. Nonetheless, he shrugged off the thought. It wasn't his place to interfere, and things would probably just become worse if he did anything.

" _Come to think of it, I should probably grab those two._ " He decided, putting on his shoes to go outside. Finding the two on his mind, at least today, was going to be rather easy. The multiple puffs of black smoke rising from half a kilometer away was an easy enough sign.

* * *

 **Elsewhere**

* * *

Ruby shifted her weight and leaned to her side, narrowly avoiding the damage from a fireball. Said flaming projectile impacted the tree behind her, completely demolishing the process. She was without her weapon, without reinforcements, only her bare hands and her wits… and her eyes.

"Katon: Hōsenka no Jutsu" Madara launched a volley of shuriken, each coated in fire, at Ruby with a wide spread.

Using the tracking prowess in her Rinnegan, anything within her field of view was accounted for nearly instantly. Two, four, twelve flaming blades in total. Even further, she could predict where each and every one of their flight paths before they reached.

" _Try number four, but I'm pretty sure i'm getting the hang of this._ " Ruby thought pridefully, weaving around the projectiles. Without wasting a moment to breath, another dozen and more followed the first. Ruby made a note of how some seemed to intentionally miss her, which quickly proved to be in her favor. She bore witness to the strays colliding with one another, ricocheting off towards her from behind. Had she not noticed and moved accordingly, she could have taken three hits to the back.

" _After nearly an hour she is improving considerably. Perhaps I should use a new element and up the difficulty._ Hmm, _lightning? Or would wind be better?_ " Madara thought, crossing his hands. However before he could create another set of shuriken, he noticed Ruby closing in on him at a rapid pace. " _So you're on the offensive now?_ "

Once within range, Ruby threw a punch at her brother's face. Unsurprisingly he caught the punch and proceeded to fling her away. Once again without the use of her semblance, she spun her body mid-air trying to regain control and successfully land on her feet.

"Your agility and awareness has improved, somewhat, but it's still not enough. Your still not strong enough. There are plenty that would use this to their advantage. You're still too weak, and need to focus on increasing your striking power." Madara scolded, relaxing his posture as if insulting his opponent.

" _It's always been like this hasn't it?_ " Ruby frowned at herself. " _He never takes me seriously when we fight. It's like he's always looking down on me, but i'll make him regret always doing that. I'll make him take me seriously and fight me with everything he has!_ " her smile turned to a smile, a smile filled with adrenaline and aspiration.

Ruby activated her semblance, dashing not towards Madara but instead around him. She ran circles around him, using the rose petal side-effect of her semblance to create a red band around him. While hidden beneath the veil, Ruby gestured with her hands, channeling chakra into her fingertips. Red static built between her hands, and only grew in intensity as more chakra was used, enough that the band of red she had created sparked with links of electricity.

The fact that Madara remained still was unnerving, but motivating as well. After charging every ounce of her chakra into the attack, Ruby planted a foot into the ground ahead of her slowing herself down and using the momentum to push herself towards Madara. With as much power as she had built, if she could make contact even for a moment, it would do at least _something_. And then, something unexpected happened; success.

Thunder roared across the forest as Ruby's hands wrapped around Madara's arm. A fraction of the strength of a lightning bolt was directed into his body. Stray bolts of electricity jumped out at the green around them. The grass below and the bark on nearby trees alike were covered in smoking burn marks, serving as a memory of her achievement. Although, it paled in comparison to what Ruby considered a real achievement.

Surprise, the only word that Ruby had to describe the look on Madara's face. It was an expression she had rarely seen, and never before seen during a sparring match. Despite having the Rinnegan, she was too distracted to react to Madara's counterattack. Once the electricity calmed and subsided, he broke her grip with a swift wave of his arm and delivered a kick to her stomach. The wind in Ruby's lungs made its escape as she was sent flying, and she would have collided with a tree if not for the timely save of a large black Glyph.

"I think it's fair to say that this match is over. Victory goes to Madara, with a still spotless record." Weiss said, standing up from the log bench she sat on. " _Though, I think Ruby won in her own way._ " she smiled at her partner.

Madara walked towards Ruby, extending a hand to her. "It needs years more practice before something like that'll work on me… but your improvement was impressive." He remarked as he helped Ruby to her feet.

"I know we all know this, but the whole 'chakra' thing really is unfair." Weiss commented, raising a hand and creating a fire Elemental Glyph. "Took me weeks if not months to be able to do this, and more to get it to be useful in combat. Now Ruby's figuring it out in less than half the time."

Ruby smiled sheepishly. "Aw, don't say that Weiss. You're still a ton better than me at this stuff. I still kinda have no clue what I'm doing. I'm only really good at cutting things with Crescent Rose."

"Well, that's true I guess." Weiss smiled, feeling reassured. " _Come to think of it, this was pretty similar to what I did when i had to fight him. The one-sidedness to it, the lack of real movement on his part. Even the element we both used. Did she think electricity was going to be the most effective? Seems a little bit more than coincidental._ " She wondered, eyeing her partner curiously.

"Anyways, I'm hungry, so i'll be heading home first." Ruby said, stretching her arms and dashing off.

"And she's off." Weiss muttered, turning her head to Madara. "I'm curious. Since summer vacation's started, school will be out for a few weeks. What are you going to do with your free time?" The silence that followed and the lowering of his head was an indication of either a lack of response, or a reluctance to respond. "Actually, what _do_ you do with free time? Surely you don't plan on spending every day doing training exercises or fighting. Even _you_ should get bored of something as tedious as that. Even Ruby gets bored of it and she wants to become a huntress just to fight… actually, that reminds me. Why did you decide to become a huntsman?"

"I didn't." Madara answered. "I have no need for a huntsmen's license, nor do I desire to be one. I made a promise years ago and now I'm keeping that promise. There's nothing more to it. Starting tomorrow, I'll be taking using 'vacation' time alone."

" _A promise huh? A promise for what?_ " Weiss asked herself as she rested her chin on her hand. " _I'm guessing it has something to do with Ruby and Yang. After all, I don't think he would've gone for any other reason. Question is, who asked him to make a promise? Why him?_ " she shook her head of the thought, shelving it in favor of other questions she had.

"Alone huh? Are you going after those giant monster things again?" Weiss asked, raising an eyebrow. It was almost unnoticeable, but she could see Madara's eye twitch, confirming her guess. "Back when we were in trouble, I saw that huge blue thing hold up the Colosseum. Had the same color as those blue flames you made in the forest when we saw that huge sand monster. There was also the huge slug-like thing just before we crashed that suddenly vanished. It's like these things are all connected to you in some way, and I'm willing to bet that there are still more. I'm also betting that you haven't explained any of this to your own sisters either. Well, I can understand that, just a little." Weiss trailed off, mumbling to herself.

"And what do you plan to do? Are you going to tell others about what you've figured out?" Madara asked, raising a curious eyebrow.

"Not really." Weiss lowered her arms and took a carefree posture. "I'm sure Ruby, Yang, and Blake figured it out by now. Besides, it's not like there is anyone who could really use that information for anything. More importantly, I want to help you." She declared, propping her arms against her waist. "Those things are dangerous, and I doubt anyone could really beat them other than you. If something bad happens and nobody is able to help, then we'd probably be doomed. Well… At least one person accompanying couldn't hurt."

Madara averted his gaze, mouthing something to himself incoherently.

"You don't have to answer me now, just let me know before you end up leaving. In any case, tomorrow is far from now. I think it's time for us to head back as well. I'm not exactly 'up' for any training today." Weiss offered, smiling.

Madara nodded back in response and the two followed in Ruby's footsteps, quite literally.

"You…" Madara whispered, before falling silent once more. " _Is this, gratitude? For a liability? No, for the gesture i suppose… damn, I imagine that I will be sorely regretting whatever decision I make._ "

* * *

 **Salem's Domain**

* * *

"Lying bitch!" The silver eyed girl shouted, slamming her fists into the long black table. Staring at her from the other side of the table, wearing an unsurprised face, was Salem. "You knew all along that-no. You recruited Mekah and went on with this whole plan, which failed miserably if I might add, without telling me! Now innocent people are dead with nothing to show for. If keeping secrets and controlling everyone like a bunch of puppets is all you do, then you're no different from Ozpin-"

Salem raised her hand, giving pause to the girl's tyrade. "That is where you are wrong, child. I have not lied to you. Nor have I withheld information. I gave you their whereabouts, and predicted the outcome, have I not?"

Juliet clenched her fists tightly, but released with a deep exhale. "They… they escaped."

"Then you know that I have done nothing to betray your trust. Victory for you was out of reach, but will not be so for long, you see. I assure you, you _will_ be rewarded for your efforts, the reward that you were promised, but through patience and devotion. You remember the purpose of my actions, don't you?" Salem asked, her crimson red eyes blinking

"Of course not. I'm not an idiot." Juliet crossed her arms defensively.

"Good. then I have another assignment for you. While Hazel searches for Leonardo Lionheart, I am imparting you with the task of locating the Summer Maiden. You will be supplied with the necessary tools to claim their powers for yourself." Salem held out her hand, and a small insectoid Grimm tore itself from her palm. It pulled out and dropped onto the table, a white glove covered in black markings, before retreating into its den of an arm. Salem then tossed the rag at the girl, who caught it reluctantly.

"That's… still really disturbing. What does the Summer Maiden even have to do with killing… the relic." She concluded, her confused frown shifting to a thin smile.

"The relic that belongs to Shade Academy is none other than the Sword of Destruction. Bring it to me, and you shall have your revenge just as you've asked." Salem bridged her hands, leaning back in her chair calmly.

"Why? I could just use the sword and take him out couldn't I?" She asked, staring puzzled.

"If it were only that simple. The relic is a complicated device, much like its siblings, have trouble being comprehended by mortal man. Attempt, and you will fail. "

She groaned to herself in frustration. "Alright, fine. What's the most recent place they've been spotted in?" Juliet demanded, pocketing the glove.

"North of Vacuo, near the peninsula, is the most likely location. However it appears that our enemy is also on the move, as are those large tailed creatures. If you are to encounter one at your current strength, you will undoubtedly die. Before you depart, take yourself to the third lowest chamber. There, an associate of mine will provide you with power that should aid your chances of survival, should an encounter be unavoidable. Young Cinder will be accompanying you on this mission as well."

The more that the girl had to hear, the more tightly she squeezed her fists and grit her teeth. An air of annoyance and frustration began to exude from her, before it all vanished with a sigh.

"Fine, whatever." She said, exiting the room through the large doors behind her.

 **END**


	50. Chapter 50

**Sonic- thanks man**

 **So, for unknown reasons, I've lost contact with my beta reader. I'm open to anyone who'd like to become one.**

Chapter 50

* * *

 **Xiao Long-Rose Family Home**

* * *

"Somehow, i'm not surprised by this." Weiss said, staring at Ruby with spiteful satisfaction. She smirked at her partner, as if to assert some sort of superiority. Inversely, Ruby herself was almost as red in the face as her hood.

"Oh, it gets even better. The third time she tried to build her weapon, she sent herself through two walls." Taiyang continued and laughed, despite the glare from his daughter.

"It was only one wall!" Ruby protested, pouting in hopes to salvage her own dignity. "And i _did_ clean up the mess at least. "

"Yeah, not without his help you didn't." Taiyang rebutted, glancing at Madara. "You didn't even have your semblance yet. If he had _anything_ better to do, you would've never gotten it done. That clone thing of his was and is still a miracle power."

"Speaking of power, to think that he almost burned down the forest before ten years old." Weiss mumbled, looking across the table at the Uchiha.

"He also nearly flooded the northern market area. All they said was it was too dry, and man did their jaws hit the floor." Taiyang continued, motioning with his hands to simulate expressions. "Says he was just "testing" his strength, He got barred from the market for a month and spent the the time making weapons. After the month passed, we had a Grimm incident which he took out almost completely alone."

"No matter the age, they're all the same. As such, Grimm are easy to kill. " Madara chimed in, yet to have made eye contact with anyone.

At his remark, Taiyang gave a defeated sighed. "Damn, I'm still not used to hearing that. Years and years of formal training invalidated by this guy at, what, eight years old?" he asked, smiling ashamedly. Weiss stared at him sympathetically, while Ruby seemed to laugh mockingly at her own father.

The room quieted down for a moment. Weiss eyed her partner, who reciprocated a look of confusion. A thought crossed her mind to try and gesture to Madara, who continued to eat in silence, but the thought died as quickly as it was born. She mouthed something to Ruby, who was terrible at reading lips. She blinked at Ruby, trying to perform morse code, but to no avail. Eventually, after one more attempt to direct Ruby without saying it outright, she blinked with a sudden realization.

"Oh right, hey dad." Ruby called out to her father. "Tomorrow, Weiss and I will be going with Madara off of Patch for awhile."

"Hm?" Taiyang looked up from his plate. "Uh, sure. Make sure to be careful out there."

At the incredibly and unexpectedly short exchange between father and daughter, Weiss stared dumbfounded. She uttered incoherently, looking back and forth between the two.

"Weiss?" Ruby asked concerningly.

"That-how…" She paused, staring silently for a brief few seconds. "I'm sorry, it's just, I wasn't expecting it to go over that quickly or easily. Not that I doubt Madara, but I expected that _some_ or _any_ kind of resistance to the idea. Training and attending Beacon are one thing, but to accept something just like that? It's, unusual to me. Are you really fine with this?"

"Yeah. You two are huntresses in training after all, and _he's_ going with you. I'm sure you'll all be safe. I've known him for a long time now, so I have a lot of trust in him." He smiled, shrugging indifferently. "I've also got some stuff to do, so I won't even be home for awhile."

"I suppose that makes sense, considering his unbelievable strength." Weiss relented, before jerking her head up to look at Ruby and Taiyang. "Actually I wanted to ask something. How did you two first meet Madara?"

Ruby and her father were both silent for a moment, looking at one another confusedly. Before Weiss could apologize, she noticed that they shrugged at her simultaneously.

"I don't remember very much." Ruby said, scratching her head as she looked off towards nothing. "I just remember waking up one day and it was night time. I was sleeping in a wagon and Uncle Qrow was there. Then the next morning I went outside and watched him and my mom… they were fighting I think."

"Oh yeah, that was the night Yang almost got you and herself killed." Taiyang added, his face a mixture of irritation, relief, and happiness. "I was probably sleeping before Ruby's mom Summer woke me up. Said that the front door was open and Ruby and Yang were gone. She uh, she nearly fainted from shock." He averted his eyes, chuckling nervously. "Anyways, we have no idea where he was before that night. Don't bother asking him about it. You won't get an answer."

Madara closed his eyes, as if to affirm the blond's warning. "Where I'm from doesn't matter." he said in a flat tone. Weiss could do little more than accept the fact that he wasn't going to tell. And accept she reluctantly did. Nonetheless, Ruby was cleared to go along with the two. However…

" _Why was Ruby so eager to accept? When I went to go tell her, she looked like she was just about to get up. Then when I asked, she accepted in less than a second._ " Weiss thought, her eyes drifting towards her partner. " _It's not just my imagination. She's been acting strange for awhile, even before what happened at the Colosseum… I can't put my finger on what it's like exactly. I guess that I should still confront her about it, but something tells me I shouldn't. I… really don't know what to do. I don't think it'll be a detriment on our mission, at least I hope so._ "

* * *

 **The Next Day**

* * *

Packed with everything they needed, the three said their goodbyes and took their leave. Using Madara's ability to seemingly teleport, the three vanished from sight and headed towards the nearest harbor. Their first stop would be Vale. However, something was left behind while they began their journey.

Staring down at the departing three from an upstairs window was Yang. thanks to her injury, her breathing was short and weak. She was silent, an uncommon occurrence for the blonde, especially when she was not alone. Blake stood in the doorway behind her, looking at her solemnly.

"I guess… they're off." Yang whispered to herself. She sighed, nodding as if to bid good luck to the three.

"Yang?" Blake asked, leaving the doorway and approaching Yang. "Are, are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Well, not totally." An attempt to laugh was made, but it lasted a single breath, lest an accidental self harm.

"It will be a few months. Worst case scenario, there may be permanent damage." was what they, her doctors, said. Though aura could heal the body, the most it did was restore minor wounds like cuts and bruises. Her lung would eventually heal, but even with time there was a chance of scarring. Such a thing could be extremely dangerous if her body was overstressed or if she were to become injured again.

"Is there anything I could get for you?" Blake asked,

"No, I'm fine, thanks." Yang waved her hand dismissively. "I'm just gonna go downstairs, hopefully not every channel's going on about Beacon." She jested, smiling wryly. As she climbed out of her bed, Blake quickly closed the distance, watching intently to ensure that Yang was alright. Noticing this, Yang let out a laugh that brought a minor pain along with. "I'm not too weak to walk just yet y'know. Don't gotta worry about me."

"See, told you." Yang smirked, being careful not to trip on anything and make a full out of herself. "I'm a little weak right now, but it's like a cold. I'll get better in no time. First thing I'll have to do though is probably some exercise. Then get back into fighting. Then i think i'll have to pay a visit to those guys that owe me money."

"Well, maybe not that last one."

" _Especially_ that last one."

The two proceeded to stare at one another. Blake wore a disapproving frown. Yang smiled playfully, as if she saw nothing wrong in her words. They remained in this staring contest for a few seconds before letting out a shared laugh. "Seriously though, it sucks not being able to leave the house." Yang complained.

"That _is_ what your dad decided though. If he didn't, you wouldn't stay." Blake reminded, rolling her eyes at Yang.

"Well, he knows me well." Yang remarked, heading towards the couch and groaning to herself all the way.

After watching Yang seat herself down, Blake began retreating upstairs. " _Should we have asked Madara if he had anything that would help her heal? Actually, no. If he did, he would've done it already. Then again, they never said where they were going did they? Maybe that's what those three are going to do? Actually, how do they plan to leave the island? I thought travel was under heavy restrictions._ "

Her train of thought was suddenly derailed as she heard the sound of glass shattering and Yang screaming. She quickly ran back downstairs to see what had happened.

"Yang!" Blake shouted as she entered the living room, looking at the couch where Yang was. Yang appeared to be fine, but there was broken glass on the floor below her. "Are you okay?" She asked frantically. Yang didn't respond and stared at the ground, breathing irregularly and motionless as if paralyzed. "Yang?" Blake tried to ask once more.

Finally, the blonde snapped out of her trance, snapping her head in Blake's direction. "I-I… I'm fine, I just broke a cup. Don't worry, I'll clean it up in a minute."

Blake sighed. "No, just stay there, I'll clean it up." She said, leaving the room to grab a vacuum.

* * *

 **Elsewhere**

* * *

Her words received no reply, only an embarrassed look from Blake. Trusting in her partner, Blake watched Yang exit the room and followed behind as they made their way downstairs. To Blake's relief, it took no time at all.

"I really don't get you sometimes." Weiss said, looking at Ruby disdainfully.

The wind brushing, no, rushing through her hair. The near soundless vacuum she found herself in. The increased difficulty in breathing. They were all familiar sensations to Weiss. After all, she had gotten rather used to being dragged along by Ruby whilst using her speed semblance. An increase in speed, be it small or substantial, wouldn't be difficult to acclimate to.

One would think that this would also apply to Ruby. After all, she was the one with said speed semblance. Unfortunately, things weren't so simple. As the black haired girl quickly learned, there was a stark difference between moving quickly on one's own feet, and being forced in directions abruptly and without control at ridiculous speed. Both she, and the nearest trash bin discovered.

Nonetheless, the three had arrived at a small harbor in a minute at most. While Ruby expelled her breakfast, Weiss stood in wait beside her. They waited as Madara interacted with one of the present fisherman. Because of their distance, it was impossible to hear what the two were talking about. The fisherman spoke with a look of familiarity on their face, which turned to a look of confusion as their conversation progressed.

"I don't think I've ever actually been this close to the ocean before." Weiss commented, looking out into the open water.

After managing to recuperate, Ruby wiped any excess material from her face. "Really? You've never been to any beaches before?" She asked with a surprised look.

"I'm from the kingdom of Atlas. We don't exactly have a tropical climate. Besides, I've always been told that the water houses unusually dangerous Grimm like Scyllas and Beifongs, things that most huntsmen would shy away from."

Ruby rested her chin on her hand, contemplatively. "Huh, now that I think about it, I don't think I've ever killed a Beifong before… Wait, what _is_ Atlas like? I've never actually been there."

"Well for starters, it floats." She answered promptly. "Atlas uses anti-gravity technology like the Colosseum, but on a much larger scale. That way, The general public is a long distance away from the automated dust mines and factories, and we don't have to worry about as many Grimm attacks."

"I don't know, it sounds pretty boring." Ruby commented, crossing her arms.

"Boring for you, maybe but safe for most people." Weiss corrected, frowning disappointedly. "Then again; my father is one of the most influential men in the kingdom, so it may not be completely safe. I'm glad I was able to leave, it's not that important to me anymore. Still though, I hope the other members of his board keep him in line."

"Is your mom anything like him?" Ruby asked, with a look of curiosity and desperation.

Weiss hummed to herself, looking away as she recalled her memories. "Not in the slightest actually. My mother used to be a very fun to be around and talk to when I was a child. She was my and my sister's role model. Unfortunately, my father and his habits drove her to pick up a drinking habit."

"Sounds like your dad ruins a lot of things." Ruby spoke with a blunt and flat tone.

Weiss smiled, letting out a giggle and a sigh. "That's exactly right. Sometimes I wish he'd tank the family company if it meant he'd stop being apart of it. But, it doesn't matter anymore for me." she nodded to herself assuredly.

"Looks like Madara's done." Ruby mentioned, pointing at the approaching Uchiha.

"So, what are we going to do now?" Weiss asked cluelessly.

"A ship will be leaving for Vacuo. We'll be taking that ship as well. After that, Vale, Atlas, and Mistral." Madara answered, pointing behind him towards a large cruise. From the side, it looked to be about fifty meters long. Only three decks maximum. Large boxes filled with food and materials were being loaded by who appeared to be crewmembers.

"Vale, really?" Weiss asked, tilting her head to the side. "How many of those things could possibly be in Vale? If nothing but that slug creature appeared, maybe that means there aren't any left?" From behind Ruby, she stared at Madara as if demanding an answer.

"Maybe there's something _else_ that we need?" Ruby suggested.

Madara nodded at Ruby. "I need to speak with Ozpin. After which, I will contact Ironwood and acquire a large waterborne vehicle."

"Seems like you have an insistence on being in the water, rather than above… there's one of those things in the water, isn't there?" Weiss demanded, pointing a finger at the black haired boy. Another nod, and she smiled triumphantly.

"Wait, how are we going to find one thing in the entire ocean? Shouldn't that be impossible?" Ruby asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I have already prepared a method to draw it out." Madara said with a blank stare.

The two girls looked at Madara with curious interest. "How?" they asked, despite already having figured that he had some method prepared. To answer them, or rather Ruby, Madara openly flared his chakra like a bird would flex their feathers. The chakra he released moved out like ripples in water, flying beyond her visible range.

Ruby turned back to Madara and Weiss, ready to give her assessment. "You just sent out some kind of wave with chakra, like sonar. Have you been baiting this fish thing to you?"

Weiss stared at Madara confusedly, her face turning an angry red. "Wha-that's endangering the people on this island isn't it? You could've just told us. What if that thing showed up right now and attacked the harbor?"

"I haven't, and It wouldn't." He was quick to answer, looking off towards the ocean. "It's too reclusive to show itself unless necessary. Until provoked it will remain in deeper waters. Once far enough in the ocean I will repeat until it has noticed and attacks."

"How are we going to fight it? Fire's out of the question and we won't have a lot to work with. I don't think electricity's going to be of much use either since, well, its the ocean. Unless there's a way to bring it to land, a home field advantage is going to be tough to beat. Even _if_ you can walk on water, I'm betting that it can still swim better."

Madara stared for a few seconds, before turning his head away. "I'll manage." he said. Suddenly, the ship's horn was honked, calling for the passengers like an alarm.

"Maybe, but you're not alone this time. While we're on the way to Vale, we _will_ be continuing this discussion in great detail." She, ignoring the dissatisfied look on her partner's face. Madara nodded, as if indifferent about her decision. Nonetheless, there were no objections. The horn sounded once more, signalling that it was soon to leave the docks. "Now, let's get on the ship."

 **END**


	51. Chapter 51

**So, someone suggested I do an omake (extra), so why the heck now? Uh, do note that whether or not they're canon to the story is uh… probably a** _ **not**_

* * *

 **Omake Start**

* * *

"I got it I got it!" Ruby shouted as she waved her hands in the air. Running away from her older sister, she jumped as high as she could, catching in her hands a frisbee.

"Nice catch!" Yang complimented as she smiled proudly. "Now, toss it back to me."

The young girl did as her sister told, swinging it with all of her eight year old might. Unfortunately, it wasn't much, and the blonde had to put in a little more effort to keep it from hitting the ground. Yang frowned at her sister disappointedly,

" _She's still got noodle arms._ " Yang thought, tossing the disk once more. Ruby caught it again, but rather than throwing it back, she began to return to Yang. she was smiling, looking at something behind her older sister.

Noticing this, Yang turned around, only to see her adopted brother standing beside her. He hadn't said anything yet, just watching quietly as Ruby approached.

"Perfect, Ruby!" Yang held out her hands, signalling for Ruby to throw the frisbee. She did so, and thanks to the shortened distance, Yang was able to catch it from where she was. She held the object to Madara with an eager look on her face. "Here, throw it as hard as you can."

"Yeah, throw it!" Ruby concurred, equally as curious to see how far it could go.

He panned between the two for a moment, before shrugging his shoulders nonchalauntly. He accepted the request, taking the frisbee from Yang. charging his left arm with chakra, Madara winded back and flinging it away at full force. Needless to say, it moved fast. The sisters expected it to go far, but they also expected to see where it flew towards. Unfortunately tracking its movement, or even its afterimage, wasn't possible. Without the sound of branches rustling that followed, they wouldn't have been able to tell that it ever landed. The two were left speechless and their jaws hung open.

After about ten seconds, Yang spun around with an angry look. "Why'd you do that?!"

"You said to." Madara answered, looking at Yang with a surprised face.

"I-I know I did but, I didn't think that would happen." Yang groaned worriedly. "Could you get it back?"

He was the only one who could have, and did, watch the disk fly and descend. Although It would have been easy to say no, that would probably lead to an upset Yang, a disappointed Ruby, and a Taiyang upset with his irresponsible daughter. In other words, it would probably damage their friendship. On top of that, if it was never retrieved, it would obviously never be used again. Weighing his options, Madara vanished in a swirl of leaves.

Tracking down the disk was no issue. With his speed, it would only take a minute at most to retrieve it. However, as he neared the projected landing area, something rang high on his danger sense. He dug his feet into the ground, stopping himself about ten meters from where the Frisbee laid. Rather, where it used to lay. It was being held, but not by someone he expected.

They were wearing a cloak, probably a dark purple. Their face was indiscernible, covered by a yellow and black mask that had one hole for an eye to peer through. That eye, the only part of their actual body that was visible, was a crimson red with a black circular pattern. It was a Mangekyou, one that he was familiar with. Immediately upon seeing the figure, Madara activated his Sharingan.

A deadlock. The two stood silently staring at one another. Madara's hand rested on a Kunai, but he slowly removed his hand and straightened his back.

" _Obito Uchiha. Why is he here?_ " Madara asked himself, maintaining eye contact. " _That mask… this must be some younger version of him. Certainly after he took my name, but also before I was resurrected."_

"You are…" The masked man muttered with a puzzled tone. "No, it doesn't matter." suddenly the man flicked his arm at Madara, flinging several Kunai at him. Madara expertly caught each of the metal knives, not moving any more than a single arm to do so. Seeing this, Obito blinked twice. "I see."

He vanished, using the same shunshin no jutsu that Madara did, but Madara could follow. Using the kunai he had just retrieved, he blocked the swing of a chain that flew towards him. As it coiled around the knife, he planted the blade deep into the ground and stepped on the chain. Less than a second later, the pull on the other end of the chain vanished, meaning Obito no longer held it.

His chakra signature suddenly vanished, meaning that he had activated his Mangekyou Sharingan's ability. Kamui, a space-time ninjutsu that let him become intangible and pull things into a pocket dimension. It was silent, and nearly impossible to sense without direct sight or great intuition. Fortunately, Madara had the latter, added onto by the fact that he had seen the technique before.

He jumped forward, spinning around to see that he evaded a pair of hands the reached out from the ground below. They continued to rise from the dirt, followed by the rest of his body.

"So you know what my power is." Obito said in the same voice as Madara once had.

" _He doesn't recognize me? If he does, why is he trying to fight me?_ " Madara thought, forming multiple hand signs. He blew out a large sphere of fire, knowing full well that it would simply pass through him, which is why he aimed for the ground between them. Through the ensuing smoke, Obito lunged at Madara, attempting to grab the boy. Though not faster, Madara managed to evade every attack, dropping a kunai behind Obito.

Failing to overwhelm the younger Uchiha, Obito stopped his rush, leaping back a short distance. Suddenly, another long chain dropped from one of his sleeves with a cuff on the end.

" _I've lost the element of surprise, and with my current form, I won't be able to outlast him. If he decides to go on the defensive though, it will be a stalemate._ " Madara thought, watching carefully as Obito attached the cuff to his other arm. " _I have that, but i will only have one chance. Although, if I can trick him into absorbing a clone, then i will be able to negate his ability to phase through attacks. A gamble, to be sure. This is quite a predicament, but an interesting._ "

* * *

 **Omake TBC**

* * *

Chapter 51

Ozpin sat behind his desk, a meter tall stack of paper on both ends of the table. Unfortunately, there were still numerous papers scattered in between the towers, of which he was more than just a little occupied with. So much so that even the ring of the elevator wasn't enough to pull his attention.

"I'm sorry, but I am not available at the moment." Ozpin said as he heard the elevator doors close.

"Um, Professor Ozpin?" he heard Ruby's voice, causing his head to flick upwards. Standing in front of him were Ruby and Madara.

"Oh, hello Ms. Rose, Mr. Uchiha. Apologies for the mess. As you can see, I wasn't expecting visitors." The old man said in a surprised tone, putting down a pen and pushing papers aside. "Well, putting aside how the two of you got here, what can I help you with?"

"The Fall Maiden." Madara said with a calm tone.

Ozpin flinched, his hands twitching momentarily. His eyes shifted to look at Ruby, who smiled nervously. "I see that you have been informed?" He asked Ruby just to be sure. Ruby nodded, and he sighed a breath of relief. It appeared that she was indeed informed, much to his dismay "I would have preferred if you had told me in advance, Mr. Uchiha."

"Professor?" Ruby asked with hopeful eyes. "Is the Fall Maiden… here?"

Ozpin's expressionless face changed to that of one of sorrow. "I am ashamed that I must tell you this, but she is not. During the attack on our school the Maiden, Amber, lost her life. There was nothing I could do. As for her power, it has vanished. Unfortunately, I haven't the slightest clue as to where it has gone. My best assumption is that it has gone to seek out its other half. Without it, we no longer have a method to locate the thief."

"If the thief is the same as the person that I had faced before, then locating them will not be an issue. I placed a tracker on them during our first encounter. Although it had been destroyed shortly after, I know where they had escaped to. A different continent, one not occupied by human settlements" He explained.

Ozpin's eyes widened with surprise. "I see. Then, you have my deepest gratitude. With that, we will be able to prevent the new Maiden from reaching the Vault-"

"On one condition." Madara interjected, folding and putting away the tag. "You will tell me everything. What you know about Salem and the Relics." he crossed his arms, adamant and unmoving in his demands.

"Salem?" Ruby asked confusedly.

"The master of the Creatures of Grimm." Ozpin said, albeit with the greatest of reluctance and a hint of anger written on his face. He pressed against the bridge of his nose, exhaling deeply. "As you know, Ms. Rose, the intelligence of a Grimm grows with age. The Goliaths, for example, are several hundreds of years old and have enough knowledge to show restraint. The Wyvern, if it were to free itself, could have opposed the entire Atlesian Fleet. However, any of the creatures alive today pale in comparison to one. Salem, the oldest and strongest Grimm to exist, as well as the first to brand herself with an identity. Just as any Grimm, she desires the destruction of all mankind. However, she knows about the Relics, and desires them. If she is able to obtain any of them, recovery would be impossible."

"Why not use the relics against her?" Ruby asked, cocking her head to the side.

"If only it were that simple. The idea has already been attempted, but all that could be achieved was a disaster. Unfortunately, using the relics in such a way isn't possible." Ozpin replied solemnly.

"Why not? One of the relics is called 'destruction' right?"

"While, it is, it is also misleading." Ozpin sighed defeatedly. "The relic of destruction has the ability to destroy almost anything, be it a physical structure or even a concept. However, it cannot take life, even that of the Grimm. Believe me when I say an attempt was made, _very_ long ago." He explained, speaking with a grave tone.

"Ruby, wait outside." Madara suddenly demanded.

Ruby stared at Madara with a pouting face. Unfortunately for her, he remained looking Ozpin, leaving little room to debate. After receiving a reassuring nod from Ozpin, she relented and made her way to the elevator. "I'll be in the lobby area looking at weapon magazines." she said as she pressed the button for the elevator.

"Oh, please do remember to keep this conversation private. It would be disastrous if any of this information were to leave this space." Ozpin warned. Ruby nodded silently as she entered the chamber.

Madara waited for the doors behind to close before coming closer to the desk between them. "I can defeat Salem." he said, unflinchingly serious in his tone.

Ozpin's eye twitched with intrigue and he nodded, signalling for his younger to elaborate. His red eyes seemed to glow for an instant, before Ozpin's own vision started to deceive him. He was no longer just sitting in a chair in his office room. The walls, the windows, every instance of civilization was gone. For the professor, the environment resembled Vacuo's desert. However the massive floating sphere in the sky wasn't as familiar, nor were the countless blue chains that held it to the ground.

"What… in the world is this?" Not even he was able to keep his composure, not in front of what such a thing. He backed away from the anomaly, but stopped and swung his head to the side at the sound of footsteps.

"Fuinjutsu, sealing." Madara said as he stepped closer. It was a bluff, so to speak. The cause for the floating mass of rock, the Chibaku Tensei, was an ability that remained unavailable until he retrieved his Rinnegan. He didn't even know whether his chains would be capable of restraining a body created by the Chibaku Tensei. Fortunately, there was no way for Ozpin to know. "If an enemy cannot be killed. If it will return to life even after being killed. Either way, sealing it away would logically be the next best option."

Madara snapped his fingers, and without another word, the impossible landscape disappeared too. Ozpin returned to sitting in his chair, as if no time had passed and nothing he just saw was made of any substance.

"I, I see." Ozpin muttered, collecting himself as he squeezed his hands together. "Assuming you're correct. How would you go about incapacitating her, at least, long enough to perform this so called 'fuinjutsu'?"

It was an idea he birthed a long time ago, the same time that he first learned about the existence of the relics. However, obtaining information about their whereabouts beforehand would either have been impossible or unnecessarily troublesome. Now, the situation was different. Now, _he_ had the opportunity sitting in front of him.

"The maiden related to the Relic of Creation. Where is she?" Madara asked. " _Perhaps not living things, but if one relic can destroy objects or non-physical concepts, then the relic with the power to create should serve me well enough. All that is needed would be to find the corresponding maiden._ "

"The Winter Maiden is… a complicated matter." Ozpin replied in an aggravated tone. "About a month ago, Qrow had reported encountering them nearby Vacuo. They were supposedly investigating some kind of abnormal weather disturbance in the area. We haven't had any contact with them since. Although, I can guarantee that they are still alive."

"Weather?" Madara asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes, according to forecasts both old and recent, sandstorms have been more frequent and severe. I haven't received any more information from my colleague within Shade Academy. Ironwood has sent a small number of reconnaissance drones, but the results have been lacking in any useful information. To be quite honest, between the two of us, his machines have always been lacking in effectiveness." He said in jest.

" _Abnormal Sandstorms, most likely that tanuki. If the Maiden had encountered it, she would be dead already, which means she has still yet to locate the beast._ " Madara exhaled with relief, knowing that both the One Tailed Beast had yet to be definitively located and the Maiden was still alive. "Her name?" Madara asked.

"Jacqueline, Jacqueline Hail. As for appearances," Ozpin gave a tired sigh. "Frankly, it's been a quite a while, so any details would be troublesome at best. She always had a habit of changing her appearance at random times."

" _That's going to be annoying, but it can't be helped. I'll just have to look around with my Shadow Clones. It shouldn't be hard to find their chakra signature._ " Madara mentally shrugged, turning to make his leave.

"Before you go, there is something I'd like to know." Ozpin stopped the boy. "How was it that you entered the Vault beneath my school, and encountered Amber, in the first place?"

Madara remained still for several seconds, as if he was a statue. It was his decision, that silence was going to be the best response. Ozpin would neither understand nor benefit from knowing the truth. Ozpin did not pry further even as the elevator doors opened. However, both he and Madara flinched with surprise as they saw that Ruby was still inside, and all of the buttons within were lit up.

"Uhh… s-someone else did it?" Ruby smiled sheepishly, looking away from her brother as he entered and the door closed.

"Well now, with that out of the way." Ozpin said, leaning back into his chair. " _All things considered, he will probably be a more certain way to secure the Relic, at least until he dies. Although, I wouldn't be surprised if he had somehow achieved immortality… a fight between two who cannot die, I wonder what that would be like? A stalemate i'm sure, just like my current situation._ "

 **END**


	52. Chapter 52

**DeMightyLubu- thanks man. Been a long time and i've lost my beta-readers, but i'll keep going and try to make the best story i can. Rain-XIX is still the best hater though. Here's hoping they return.**

Chapter 52

Atlas' military was primarily known for its Airfleet. Disregarding the Huntsmen Specialists, the robotic horde of Atlesian Knights, and the Paladin Mechs, it still sat at the top of the world in terms of military might. However, it's Navy was still nothing to sneeze at. Compared to its airborne counterpart, the ships boasted even stronger armor and firepower. Their need to counterbalance weight with anti-gravity machinery was only a fraction of what the airships required.

Six Frigates armed with hard light shielding. Three battleships, each about ninety meters long with several different types of heavy artillery. A small-scale Aircraft Carrier holding six bomber drones. They sailed as a unit, all were under the command of Madara Uchiha. Although ironically, he wasn't even on one of the ships, but on the water instead. Walking on water, just as standing on walls or ceilings, was a trivial matter learned by shinobi at young ages. Unfortunately, his audience was wise to none of that. Save for Ruby and Weiss, the jaws of everyone present were on the floors. Seeing a man walking steadily on the open ocean, without any discernible technology that would allow anything even similar, was more than difficult to accept.

"He's… really far away." Weiss said, using a pair of binoculars to see the boy. "I'd say about a hundred meters? And keeping at this speed is…"

Ruby nodded, not taking her eyes off her brother. Thanks to her eyes, she could see him almost perfect clarity. Granted, she only saw him as a mass of blue and orange chakra. However, it also meant anothing thing.

" _I don't know if I should be happy or not, since I still don't see anything but him._ " Ruby wondered, cupping her chin with her hand. Periodically, Ruby would see a ethereal waves of Chakra. Like the roots of a tree, or sonar, It moved outwards and in every direction below his feet. It was his own method created with the hopes of luring his prey. Needless to say, but the distance between him and the others was for their safety. If the object of Madara's interest were to be distracted by the ships, or worse Ruby and Weiss, it may target them.

Weiss lowered her hands and binoculars, turning her head to Ruby. "Has he told you any of what he wants us to do?"

"No," Ruby frowned disappointedly. "I think he just wants us to stay back."

" _Then… why bring the battleships?_ " Weiss thought, looking behind her at three massive cannon barrels. "The frigates are there to guard against attacks, probably to protect us. That I can understand, but if there's something that requires protection like that, then why did he accept so little firepower?" She asked, suddenly flinching as a new question surfaced in her mind. "No, why did he bring any battleships at all?"

"Maybe to… distract it?" Ruby suggested, shrugging her shoulders.

" _maybe… but I wonder what that ship is for._ " Weiss looked off to her side, staring curiously at another ship. What was peculiar about it was the size. It was far too small to be for combat, and lacked any kind of weaponry for that matter.

A few minutes past, the two watching without any interruptions. That is, until Madara's legs stopped moving. An arm raised, a signal to halt.

"I'll go tell the captain. Keep me posted!" Ruby said, using her speed to their advantage. She disappeared and left Weiss alone to observe. She peered back into the binoculars, refixing on Madara. She managed to see him suddenly sink into the water, as if his body turned to stone. Her eyes widened with surprise, fidgeting with the binoculars in hopes of locating him.

" _What… where'd he go? I didn't see any tentacles, i don't think anything grabbed him. Did he just sink on his own? On purpose?_ " She thought, frantically scanning the surroundings. However, her search for the Uchiha was superseded by the abnormal color change in the water.

The area of water around where Madara had earlier stopped at began to glow with a dim yellow. The tint only seemed to grow in intensity as the water began to bulge and grow. Weiss flinched with the sudden realization of what was to come. However, she couldn't even utter a single word before the emerging mass was able to present itself.

A pillar of blinding light erected itself before them, shooting into the sky and beyond the extent of the naked eye, off to the sides, smaller strands of light sprouted from the water, arching and reaching far beyond the main body. The sudden emergence caused the water around to displace, creating waves that reached and pushed back the ships with great force.

Weiss steadied her footing, using Glyphs to maintain herself as she resumed looking for Madara. The beams of energy dissipated, causing more commotion in the water below. It didn't take much longer before Ruby reappeared, a shocked and excited look written across her face.

"What was that?! Did he do that?!" Ruby exclaimed, pointing at where the pillar was.

"I-I don't think so." Weiss said with a bittersweet grimace. "I think it… it felt like what that weird slug thing did in the forest. But that was a bomb instead, not a laser like this… wait a minute." Weiss refocused with her binoculars, zooming in on a small pink-ish mass that seemed to float on the water. It resembled some type of coral, the kind that could only be found in the deepest parts of the sea. More importantly, a blue rib cage-like structure was positioned on top of it. "I see him!"

Ruby too noticed the chakra construct, but also chakra than ran through the coral. Suddenly, the blue Rib Cage vanished, and Madara leapt off of the platform. Not a moment sooner, something erupted from below.

A large grayish colored arm, covered in what looked like scales, pushed the coral out of the water, crushing the small mass in its fist. Just as quickly as it appeared, the arm sank back into the water before either Ruby or Weiss could see its full body.

"What?!" The two shouted in unison, looking at each other.

"That was a hand right?" Weiss asked worriedly, Ruby nodding in confirmation. " _If that was just a hand, how big is this thing's full body supposed to be. A Leviathan would be small compared to that._ "

"I wanna fight it." Ruby said with a smile, as if she was about to drool from the thought.

"more importantly," Weiss raised her tone, flicking Ruby's forehead. "We should figure out what we should do now. Can you tell the captain to take us closer?"

"Uh huh. The captain gave me this actually." Ruby said, taking out a small gray earpiece from her pocket. "He said I could use it to communicate." she explained, putting it into her ear and pressing a button.

* * *

 **Madara**

* * *

" _You've finally arrived._ " Madara thought, sighing with relief. He soon landed on the water, but seeing another hand reaching from below, he moved again to avoid a fist. " _But I wonder why you were this close to land. Was it because of me or the others? No, more importantly, how to subdue you. Earth Release won't be enough, and I don't have Lava at my disposal._ " Madara inhaled deep, taking in as much oxygen has he could before dispelling the chakra around his feet. Not a moment later, he sunk back into the water, increasing his weight to dive faster.

" _Where did you go?_ " Madara thought, activating his Mangekyou Sharingan. " _I'm losing sight in my left eye. It's almost time._ "

It was then that he saw the object of his interest. It was headed straight towards him, swimming at a frightening speed. In response, Madara activated his Susanoo. The rib cage sprouted two pairs of skeletal arms, before the entire construct further evolved. Wrapped in ethereal skin and clad in dark blue armor, he donned the Armored Susanoo.

With three arms extended out, he intercepted the massive Beast's charge attack. With the fourth arm, he delivered an uppercut to its head. One of the three arms that still held the head released, only to manifest Yasaka Magatama in its palm and slam them into its eye.

The Beast roared wildly, thrashing about before swinging a tail into Madara's side. His Susanoo's lack of legs or feet made movement control difficult, much to his dismay. In a frantic manner, the Beast pulled itself away from Madara's Susanoo, before swimming a far distance away. It was not a retreat, as evidenced by its sudden stop and turn.

A ball of dark purple chakra appeared in its mouth, another Tailed Beast Bomb. Though Madara's armor could withstand the blast, he decided otherwise. The thick covering around the upper body started shuffling, quickly expanding in size while also growing a pair of legs. By the time the Beast could fire its chakra bomb at him, the Susanoo took a full humanoid form. Using a pair of chakra swords, Madara blocked and deflected the projectile, sending it upwards towards the surface to explode in the air.

" _I'm starting to run out of oxygen._ " Madara thought, looking up at the surface of the water. However, before he could act on the idea, he felt himself already being pushed upwards by something. " _This also works_." he thought, watching as the Beast forced him to the surface.

* * *

 **Ruby & Weiss**

* * *

The water bulged again for the third time, but rather than a beam of energy or an explosion, it was a large blue humanoid. However, following the giant was something even larger. The owner of the massive gray arm that they had seen earlier had shown itself in full. Just as they had suspected, it was enormous. Its body was colored both gray and a dull red, with one open eye. Its back was covered in what looked like a turtle's shell, and three tail-like appendages extended from its backside.

Weiss deadpanned at the sight of the creature. This Three Tailed Beast. " _Three… first was one, then four, then none I guess, then six, and now three, how many of these are there?_ " She thought with a low groan. However, she couldn't help but smile in amusement as the two massive bodies clashed against each other.

"Fire all of the guns at it!" Ruby shouted into her earpiece, pointing at the turtle-like monster.

The three battleships aimed their many barrels and fired. The shells bombarded the Three Tailed Beast, only one hitting Madara by accident. Unfortunately, when the smoke cleared, it was completely unharmed. Even more unfortunate, was that their attempt caught its attention. It roared, pushing away Madara and his colossus, before amassing chakra around its arms that raised high above its own head.

With great force, they slammed back into the water. But when they went down, a tidal wave came up. It was easily large enough to swallow the fleet. Before it got close, Madara's blue construct vanished momentarily before reappearing and reforming in between the wave and the fleet.

The four arms of the Susanoo each held a jagged sword made of chakra, each wound and ready. As he swung the four blades simultaneously, they created four shockwaves that split apart the wave. Albeit with some turbulence, Ruby and Weiss were protected from the Beast's attack.

"Don't waste that ammunition!" Madara shouted down at the two in an almost angry sounding tone. Not a moment later, he was forced to defend against another two tidal waves. He launched more Yasaka Magatama at the Beast, putting pause to its barrage. Seeing that the Beast's attention returned to him, he rapidly moved away from the fleet.

"Not even a scratch." Weiss said disappointedly.

"What do we do now? The guns are useless, and i hate to say it, but Crescent Rose isn't going to be of much help here." Ruby frowned dejectedly.

Weiss fell quiet for a minute, mouthing incoherently as she looked between Ruby, Madara, and the cannons. "I think I have an idea, but we need some things. Tell the captain to get us a lot of metal planks and rods, and as much Dust as they can spare."

Ruby stared at Weiss for a moment, an invisible light bulb suddenly flickering on above her head. "Got it!" She exclaimed.

* * *

 **Madara**

* * *

" _Those two._ " Madara groaned, trying to focus on the Three Tails. By applying chakra to his Susanoo's feet in the same way he would his own, he was able to keep the construct above the surface. Unfortunately, he was still at a severe disadvantage.

It seemed that no matter how many yasaka beads he threw, or how many times he swung his blades, the Three Tails had plenty of material to build its defense. Although the Complete Body Susanoo had more than enough strength to defeat the Three Tailed Beast, the problem was still the environment. Before he could land a decisive strike, it would have already fled far out of range. With that in mind, the smaller humanoid form was a better choice. Unfortunately, the situation remained the same. He had the chakra to outlast his opponent, but he needed to maintain enough to suppress the literal Beasts inside of him. A distraction would be the best, but it would come at the expense of his fleet and companions.

" _Perhaps ramming the cruisers into it would distract it long enough?_ " Madara chuckled to himself, simply imagining the prospect. Of all possible ways to combat the Tailed Beast, ramming into them with a vehicle was the kind of thought only a madman would think of. " _Whatever it is, it'll have to happen soon. I'd rather not waste this, there is the One Tailed beast and the maiden._ "

He cut down the tenth wave, before being impacted by something much greater. Using the water as a cover, the Three Tails rushed at Madara, tackling his Susanoo with all of its strength. With as much force that it had applied, it succeeded in toppling the chakra titan. It didn't last long, as he pushed it off before returning to his feet.

Madara took in a sharp inhale, making hand signs for a fire release jutsu. "Katon: Gōka Mekkyaku"

He unleashed a massive body of fire, a flame big enough to cover the Beast's entire body. The strongest fire-jutsu swallowed up the turtle-like monster, muffling the eventual screams with rapid crackling and hissing. The ensuing cloud of white smoke was spun away before the Beast recovered and counterattacked.

The fight continued for what felt like hours. Rather than the blood-pumping heart-racing excitement he felt when fighting strong opponents, Madara felt as if he was doing menial labor. Thanks to his efforts, the Three Tails was mostly drained of chakra. Unfortunately, he wasn't in much better a condition. Having only one Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan, the chakra cost of maintaining the Susanoo even at this level was tiresome. To make matters worse, though injured, his opponent remained conscious. The cost of putting it down were enough to lower Madara's chakra level below what he considered safe. If that happened, the other Tailed Beasts he had sealed may seek the opportunity.

" _This is getting more troublesome._ " Madara groaned, monitoring his depleting chakra reserves. He sighed dejectedly. " _I'll have to pin the creature and use the Complete Body, deal with the consequences after._ "

Before he could perform the deed, growing his Susanoo to full size, he heard something. A loud explosion-like noise rang out from nearby, distracting both he and the beast. Something collided with the Beast's head, enveloping it in an electrical explosion while also disorienting it. He looked to his side, where the attack came from, seeing Ruby and Weiss holding up a bizarre contraption.

However, as much as he would have liked to investigate their antics more, he couldn't possibly ignore the chance he had gotten. Madara dispelled his Susanoo, simultaneously creating a team of shadow clones and speeding towards the Three Tails' body. Meanwhile, the five opened paper scrolls, covering themselves in smoke as they placed white masks over their faces.

* * *

 **Ruby & Weiss**

* * *

Weiss held her head up triumphantly, watching the titan vanish. "A clean hit."

The shells previously fired by the battleships lacked two major things. Sufficient speed and power. The rounds weren't being shot fast enough to deal concussive or penetrative damage. Even if they could, the amount of Dust in each shell was small. If the two wanted to be of any help, they needed to think differently.

Two long metal beams, held in the air parallel to each other using Weiss' gravity-glyphs. In between the two was a large chunk of Lightning Dust, on its own, it was nothing at all. However, with Ruby channeling electricity into one of the beams, it was a special kind of cannon, powered by magnetic force rather than explosive. They had created a Railgun, using pure dust as ammunition.

"Hah! I can't believe that worked!" Ruby exclaimed, smiling widely. " _This works way better than bullets. If I can make a smaller version of this and add it to Crescent Rose, that electric tag thing should be able to power it. It might be enough to take out a Goliath._ " she squirmed in place, mentally piecing together how she would make her modifications, too distracted to watch what happened next. Fortunately, Weiss managed to direct her attention elsewhere.

The large three tailed monster floated atop the water, its arms twitching with life and a weak consciousness. Suddenly, almost a dozen large blue chains appeared around its body, constraining its entire mass. No later did it begin to shrink in size and change in color. The dull green and red diminished down to something similar to what the two had seen Luna turn into. Over the course of a minute, the body had completely disappeared, followed by another large puff of white smoke.

"Looks like he's done." Weiss declared, putting her hands on her sides. The two metal rails and chunk of Dust fell to the ground with a clanging noise. She looked to Ruby. "Next up,we're headed to Vacuo."

Ruby was giddy with excitement. The girl had never never been to Vacuo before. Though the desert and sand wasn't the most appealing thing, Shade Academy was home to hundreds of students, students with much shorter vacations than they had. More students meant more huntsmen in training which, more importantly, meant more types of weapons.

" _Once we get there I'm getting you some much needed upgrades_." Ruby hummed, cradling her scythe.

 **END**


	53. Chapter 53

Chapter 53

* * *

 **Vacuo**

* * *

Vacuo, a nation covered in sand and built on the toughest of stones. It was unrivalled in harsh and unforgiving environments. Civility and order was primitive, so to speak, maintained only by the Huntsmen Academy. The official government was little more than a figurehead. There were many things Vacuo was called by its fellow nations. It was barbaric, crude, and ancient.

However the last word anyone would dare use to describe Vacuo, and its people, was weak. They were resourceful and adaptive, tenacious and fearless, indiscriminate to all, and enigmatically intelligent. The environment thinned their numbers, but the numbers that remained were worth many times more than those that left.

Unfortunately, neither Ruby nor Weiss were prepared. They were ill equipped for the trek through the desert. Ruby's mostly black clothing absorbs enough heat that she almost constantly held a water bottle to her mouth. Weiss was getting rashes and sunburnt in multiple places. The two instantly lamented their lack of preparation and knowledge, even more so when they looked Madara.

In contrast, he was in an infinitely better condition. His usual dark gray shirt and pants were switched to a light tan. He wore a thin mask that covered his mouth and nose/ His normally long hair was cut to shoulder-length and kept under a cap. A thin pair of goggles kept the dust and sand out of his eyes, as well as concealing his Sharingan. Save for the Uchiha symbol he had engraved on his sleeves, Ruby and Weiss would have had trouble distinguishing him from other passerbys,

"I didn't think a sandstorm would hit us so early." Ruby muttered, shielding her face from the sand with her own hands. For a moment, her eyes locked onto Madara, more specifically his attire. "Hey, let me have one of those masks."

"Yeah, I'd like one two." Weiss concurred, holding up a darkened glyph to act as an umbrella.

Though not visible, Madara rolled his e

* * *

yes as well as scoffing at their pleas. "I only purchased one. Consider it a lesson." he chided,

Weiss glared enviously at Madara, straining dust and sand from her hair. Suddenly, an idea came to her, as did aura through her arms. She created a large glyph in front of her, one as transparent as possible. Aside from the rotating circles that comprised the edges of the construct, she had a mostly-functioning screen shield that managed to protect both her and Ruby. Weiss smiled triumphantly, knowing full well that Madara wouldn't notice.

The three continued to walk along a thin graveled road, nothing but sand and heat to accompany them. Eventually, they managed to overcome a short hill, and their eyes laid upon a large building.

"What is that?" Ruby asked, squinting her eyes. "A house?"

Sharing a wordless nod with one another, the three headed towards the building, knowing not what they would soon find.

* * *

 **Elsewhere**

* * *

" _Alright, alright you can do this._ " Yang thought, her breathing heavy and hoarse. She inhaled a deep breath before clenching her fist. With the energy she had left, she threw one last punch, only for it to be caught mid-swing.

"Really, you should take a break." Blake said, letting go of Yang's hand.

Yang nodded as she walked towards the front porch of the house. She sat down on the wooden platform, chugging down a water bottle in a single go. Blake was, unsurprisingly, in much better physical condition. It was astonishing to the faunus girl, to watch her partner in action. She should have still been resting in bed, but instead, she was pushing herself as if nothing was wrong.

" _How strong is she?_ " Blake thought, staring at Yang as she tossed the bottle aside. "Are you feeling alright?"

"Yeah, better than yesterday at least. Still hurts a little, but it won't keep me down." Yang answered, smiling at Blake wholeheartedly.

"Somehow, that hurts me." Blake mumbled, lazily looking away from Yang. The Blonde patted her friend on the back, laughing at her expense.

"What do you think? I'm getting back to my old self right?" Yang asked.

Blake glanced away uncomfortably, looking as she was shrinking in place. "Well, you're almost there."

Yang's smile seemed to fade away, replaced by a sorrowful grimace. "That's different from your usual pretty face." Yang laughed, wrapping an arm around Blake's shoulder. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing!" Blake snapped, accidentally pushing Yang away. "Y-Yang, I'm sorry! Are you alright?"

Yang frowned, brushing Blake away as the black haired girl tried to help her sit up. "Y'know Blake. You don't have to keep coddling me. I got enough of that when I was a little kid." She said in a slightly aggravated tone.

"R-right." Blake lowered her head, as if waiting for some kind of punishment.

"Don't be like that. I'm not _that_ angry." Yang rested her chin on her knees, leaning forward as she stared into the forest. "I… I wonder where Ruby is right now. Probably somewhere exciting. I'm feeling pretty jealous actually. I mean, I was the one who wanted to go on adventures, not her."

"Maybe there's something she wants? They're going around the world after all." Blake suggested.

"Yeah well, maybe. That'd make sense, more than him doing it out of the good of his heart." Yang rolled her eyes. "Y'know what, I had an idea. Let's chase after them, get in on the fun. After i'm back in shape of course."

"I… i don't know about that. I don't think it's a good move, to go out looking for them. We don't know where they could be going, and it might be too much for us." Blake answered, squeezing her hands together.

Yang looked as if she was going to laugh. "Too much for who? We've been through a ton, right-"

"For you!" Blake abruptly shouted at Yang. "We barely got out of the disaster at Beacon, and look what happened to you! What would you do if something even worse happened? What if you lose an arm, or a leg, or you get yourself killed? Aren't you scared even a little bit? Have you thought about any of that?" She demanded, her own heart pumping abnormally fast. She couldn't understand why Yang seemed so carefree, or why she was so eager to return to action.

Yang stared at Blake, stunned at the reaction from the normally reserved girl. She could see a small fire behind Blake's yellow eyes, a fire that needed to be calmed down. Unfortunately and unsurprisingly, she wasn't that good at calming people down. She didn't have much experience in the field.

" _What do I do?_ " Yang thought, her mind moving at increased speed in search of an answer. She thought back, retracing her memories. Suddenly, an idea came to mind.

Yang raised a single hand towards Blake, flicking the faunus girl in the forehead with just enough force to cause Blake to flinch back. While Yang retracted her hand, Blake recoiled, pressing a finger against the place of contact. Her face had a confused and agitated expression.

"What was that for?!" Blake asked, less upset but more agitated.

"I… needed you to calm down?" Yang said with an uncertain tone.

Blake's eyebrows raised as high as they could go. "How was that supposed to do that?"

"I don't know, it worked on me. I'm not good at talking to people. Madara used to do it to me so i figured it might do something!" Yang exclaimed, clearly flustered at har failed plan.

"He… what?" Blake asked, lowering her arm.

"When we were younger I had a lot of trouble controlling myself, especially when I got haircuts. Madara would sometimes flick my in the head to make sure I didn't break something. I don't really know why, but it just sorta worked." Yang explained, shrugging her shoulders. "But, that's not really important. I just wanted you to calm down so I could explain." She paused, taking a deep breath before she continued. "Blake, of course I know what could happen. I'm not dumb, but i'm not scared. I knew what I signed up for when I decided to enroll at Beacon, like you did."

Of course, she wasn't speaking to Blake's motives for becoming a huntress. The girl had none in particular. Blake determined that she was speaking to her motives for joining the White Fang. after all, they both knew about the violent and occasionally heinous acts she had performed.

"You don't need to keep on worrying about me like this. One day, I know I'll get into trouble I can't get out of. I always knew it, but taking a sword to the chest kinda brought that thought back up. So, instead of just running away and trying to live a boring life, I want to go out and have exciting adventures ." Yang declared, gratifying herself with a fist to the chest. Unfortunately, she hit a rather precarious spot, causing her to cough the air out of her lungs.

Blake considered what Yang had said, watching as her partner tried to catch her breath. " _That's just like her. How did I forget?_ " She thought.

"W-well, anyways." Yang continued, donning her usual smile. "First chance I get, i'm going out there to find them. I'd really like if you went out _with_ me."

To her invitation, Blake could only stare wide-eyed and stiff, much to yang's confusion. She pressed a hand to her face,muffling her own laughter to the best of her ability. Yang could only sit perplexed, waiting for Blake's reply. Soon enough, Blake was able to calm herself, lowering her hand and restoring a calm visage.

"Well I'll consider it, up until you've made a full recovery." She answered,

"Sweet, Ruby'll be happy to see the team back together." Yang remarked.

"I haven't agreed to anything yet." Blake protested, but was summarily ignored as yang stood back up.

"Now, let's get back to training."

* * *

 **Vacuo**

* * *

Weiss, Ruby, and Madara stood in the doorway that led inside. It was a bar, the kind that Ruby and Weiss had seen in works of fiction. These establishments, when used in movies, were usually almost barbaric. Crowds were obnoxiously loud and prone to starting fights for little to no reason. However, the three saw none of that within this building.

It was a two-story facility, made mostly of wood with several dust lanterns. There were dozens of customers on both floors, sitting at booths and on stools, eating and drinking to the songs that others sang in an almost harmonic fashion. Their faces were relatively well kept, likely thanks to the clothes that protected them. Every single person was armed with weapons, guns, blades, and poles of unique shape and design. Despite this, there was an air of self-control and restraint in even the largest-looking attendees.

Ruby looked as if she was about to spring on one of the customers for their weapons. Weiss shot a demanding look at Ruby, the kind that put even the weapon-maniac on edge. Her enthusiasm vanished almost as soon as it appeared. Madara removed his cap, mask, and goggles, while disabling his Sharingan before proceeding into the main floor. Ruby and Weiss were quick to follow.

The further and deeper the three continued to walk through the establishment, more pairs of eyes began to track them. They were not looks of disgust, nor greed or bloodlust, just a critical curiosity, as if they were assessing their guests.

Unfortunately, Ruby was quick to misread the situation, quietly sliding her hand under cloak and to the scroll containing her weapon. However, nobody was fooled, and soon half of the bar had their hands on their own weapons. Sensing the sudden change, Madara and Weiss alike turned towards Ruby, grabbing her readied arm at the same time with the same disarming expression.

To Weiss' relief, the people they had accidentally put on guard just as quickly lowered theirs. Madara let go of Ruby, leaving her in Weiss' care and walked off. The two watched Madara approach a barista standing behind a counter. Their jaws subsequently dropped as they noticed the disheveled gray hair and bald top, the same hairstyle belonging to the person they knew as Shopkeep.

"What can I get for you?" The old man asked.

"Jacqueline Hail." The Uchiha answered promptly.

The old man stared silently before nodding. "Hm… never heard of that one. Let me check with my guy in the back." he said, vanishing from sight with his usual impossible speed.

"Really, who _is_ that guy?" Weiss asked, raising an eyebrow at Madara as she took a seat.

"Is he like, your long lost grandpa or something?" Ruby asked, half serious. Weiss mentally facepalmed, but said nothing in reply to her partner's inquiry.

"An acquaintance." Madara answered, catching the two girls by surprise.

No sooner did the man return into their field of view. "Sorry, don't have it." He answered. Of course, he knew that the name wasn't referring to some drink or dish, but a person. Nonetheless, he had no luck in finding the person of Madara's interest.

"You might be able to ask one of my frequenters, They come in almost every day for a drink. They left a while ago, had a quick mission to do apparently, but they'll be back soon."'

"When do you think that'll be?" Ruby asked with a hopeful look.

The old man looked off towards nothing, humming to himself for a moment. "Hm…not sure. I'd say stay an hour or two and you could see'em."

"Is there a place to stay nearby? Like an inn or a motel?" Weiss asked with an even more hopeful expression. Unfortunately, the pitiful laughs and snickers coming from the eavesdroppers around her painted a negative answer.

"Welcome to Vacuo young ladies, get used to camping out." The Old Man smiled sarcastically, shrugging his shoulders before pouring a cup.

* * *

 **Omake Cont'd**

* * *

Madara and Obito, two ghosts of the Uchiha clan, stood ten meters apart facing one another. Both the masked and unmasked uchihas' Sharingan were active, Obito's single eye, however, was evolved into a Mangekyou Sharingan. With his ability to become intangible, he could turn almost any fight to his advantage regardless of the power difference. More unfortunately, there wasn't a large gap to begin with.

The forest stood silent, as if the trees themselves were watching the two with fervor. Soon enough, the time for battle to resume had come, and the signal was a single leaf that touched the ground between them.

As sudden as a lightning strike, the two clashed at the center of the clearing. The force of their first exchange was like thunder, shaking both the trees and the ground. They traded punches and kicks, each of which could shatter metal. Obito made liberal use of his ability, called Kamui, to escape any difficult position.

As Madara thrusted a fist for Obito's stomach, he phased through the attack and re-solidified behind him. His hands were open, trying to grab his younger senior, but Madara was quick enough to avoid and distance himself. Using water and fire release, he created a large cloud of scalding steam. It wouldn't be an effective weapon, considering his enemy, but the ensuing smoke could at least cloud his opponent's vision for a moment.

Just as Obito emerged from the cloud, he had to quickly evade half a dozen kunai. Madara stood ahead of him, holding many more in each hand. He sprinted, dodging every incoming projectile and managing to get a grip on the smaller Uchiha's neck. With one arm, he lifted Madara off his feet and slammed him into the ground, apparently knocking the boy unconscious.

"That was easy _._ " Obito said, suddenly letting ago and jumping away. No later had his standing space been filled by a plume of flames. He turned to see that the many kunai that had been thrown were all shadow clones in disguise. " _Not just one clone, but many. To create this amount, Who is this?_ " he thought, avoiding the onslaught of attacks.

Channelling chakra into his legs, Obito leapt high above Madara's clones, raining down almost a hundred wooden spears. They managed to hit their targets, and all but one had exploded into smoke.

Obito landed, once again a short distance from Madara. It was rather clear that neither had gained any advances on one another.

"Who are you?" Obito asked, lowering his arms. "You are no ordinary child, even of the Uchiha. What is your name?"

Madara too disarmed, assuming a regular posture, but remained silent. Judging by the clothing he wore and his height, this version of Obito came from a time somewhere between his death and revival. Obito was at least not yet aware of Madara's actions involving him. However, Madara didn't know whether or not Obito knew about the curse on his heart. If he discovered that Madara was still alive, it could jeopardize the Madara of this Obito's timeline.

Suddenly, the two heard two pairs of footsteps coming closer. More importantly, were the two voices that accompanied those footsteps.

"Madara!" the two figures, Yang and Ruby, shouted as they came closer.

Speechlessly, Obito turned his head back to Madara. Madara continued to look towards the approaching girls, but kept the masked Uchiha within his field of view. As the two slowed and stopped, they simultaneously stared at Obito for several seconds.

"Did you find the frisbee yet?" Yang asked, scanning ground and trees around them.

"Umm, w-who's that?" Ruby asked, holding her older sister's arm tightly, trying to use her as a shield.

Suddenly, Obito started to laugh, putting a palm against his mask as if it was his face. His laugh ended with a long sigh as he lowered his hand.

"I'm nobody." Obito answered, turning away from the three. Activating Kamui, his entire body was enveloped by a swirling distortion in space. As if melting away, he vanished from sight, leaving absolutely no trace. Verifying that he had indeed disappeared, Madara lowered his guard and deactivated his Sharingan.

"That… was weird. Where'd he go?" Yang remarked, looking back at Madara. "So did you find the frisbee?"

Madara looked off towards where he saw Obito holding the object. Unfortunately, it was a flaming third of what it was a few minutes ago. Ruby and Yang soon noticed as well, and the ensuing rage and anguish of his little sisters made Madara envious of his junior's ability to _literally_ escape reality.

 **END**


	54. Chapter 54

Chapter 54

It had been about two hours since they had arrived within the nameless saloon. To their dismay, nothing had happened since they entered. The person they were supposed to encounter hadn't returned as Shoopkeep said. Even more unfortunate was that cell service was apparently nonexistent here.

In the meantime, Weiss was able to perform maintenance on her weapon, as well as practicing with her Glyphs. Considering that her Rapier was more or less just a plain weapon, and its lack of complex mechanisms, keeping it in proper shape was rather easy. Unfortunately, Ruby wasn't so lucky. Her beloved Crescent Rose required tools she was wary of bringing out, and an environment she didn't have. As such, she had the resorted to practicing with her electric-generating technique.

Madara was, or at least appeared to be, sleeping. He was still standing upright with his arms crossed, but leaned motionlessly against a pillar. His goggles once again covered his eyes, preventing anyone from being able to tell for certain. He had just recently bested one person that challenged him to a drinking contest, yet afterwards Madara didn't look in the slightest bit intoxicated. If he _was_ sleeping, it would have been impossible to tell, let alone take advantage of. To Ruby and Weiss, it was perfectly fitting.

Suddenly, the front doors were pushed open. A single person, dressed in attire similar to Madara, entered. There was nothing to note about their clothing, save for a short scabbard strapped to their waist containing a sword of some kind. Shopkeep seemed to smile and nod at the intruder who walked straight towards him.

The newcomer removed their mask and goggles at the door, revealing their features. Their hair was black, longer than Madara's but still held in a ponytail, and their eyes were blue like Weiss's. Most perplexing was their facial structure. They appeared feminine, but gave off a masculine feeling.

Weiss looked up from her Elemental Glyph, noticing that Madara was staring directly at the newcomer while they conversed and drank with Shopkeep. " _Is that the person he was talking about? Are they a guy or a girl? I think it's a guy.._ " She thought, thinning her eyes slightly. " _Well, people come in all kinds I suppose._ " She shrugged, waiting and watching.

Madara suddenly moved, removing himself from the wall and walking towards the boy and the Shopkeeper. As he walked, Ruby and Weiss stood up as well and followed, and the boy turned to look at him.

The three stopped about two meters from the desk, where the boy sat. "Who're you?" they asked in a neutral voice.

"This is Andre, a frequent customer of mine. They may be able to help you." Shopkeep explained, leaving through the door behind him.

"..wait, you three were looking for me?" the boy named Andre asked. "Sure you don't have me confused with someone else? I'm not a very popular person."

"Jacqueline Hail. Do you know them?" Madara asked the boy. Andre flinched at the name, but only Madara seemed to notice.

"Who?" Ruby asked, looking at Madara demandingly.

"Oh, I uh, that's one of my teammates at Shade Academy actually." Andre answered, scratching his head seeming embarrassed. "Sorry, i didn't know she was popular. Need her for something?" Madara nodded but stayed quiet as he waited. "Well, I could take you if you want, I just finished my field assignment, so i'm about to head back."

"You did that alone?" Weiss raised a surprised eyebrow. "What about the other two members of your team?"

"They went on their own too." Andre smiled pridefully "Well, we Shade students are pretty different from where you're from. We do both team and solo training."

"Wait, how did you know we weren't from Shade?" Ruby asked, looking down at her dust-covered clothes. "Oh, nevermind."

Andre snickered at the girl, almost pitying her and the suffering she must have been experiencing. "Yeah, not exactly form fitting. Here in Vacuo, observance is your best friend. What's done is done though. So, you three coming with me or not?" he offered again, raising a hand to be shaken.

"We will." Madara answered quickly, accepting the gesture while his companions stared at the exchange.

"You know, I'm surprised that he's becoming even _this_ social." Weiss whispered into Ruby's ear. Ruby nodded, yet continued to stare confusedly at Andre. "What is it?" Weiss asked.

"I… i don't know." Ruby muttered, shaking her head of whatever clouded her mind. "Nevermind, I bet it's nothing.

"If y'all are ready, we can head out now. I'll warn you though, It's going to be a long walk." Andre announced. After he waited for ten seconds with no reply, he nodded, walking past the three and motioning for them to follow. Without another moment's delay, they were gone. Surely _nothing_ could go wrong.

* * *

 **A few hours later**

* * *

About twenty kilometers from where they resumed their journey. The sun had just begun to descend from the sky, turning part of it orange. The temperature had also declined due to less direct sunlight. Oddly, the blowing sand seemed to settle, meaning that it was fine for Madara and Andre to remove masks and goggles.

Ruby continued to watch Madara with her heterochromatic eyes. She watched as he periodically expelled Chakra as he had on the water. There was no noticeable gesture from Madara to suggest he used hand signs two or single-handed. It simply moved out from his body and into the ground as if it was natural. Curiously, Ruby looked down at her own hands. She was far from skilled enough to replicate the act as she had seen it, but perhaps through manipulating it with her hands.

"Hey, Ruby." Andre called out, catching Ruby's attention. "What kind of weapon do you use? Look a little empty handed."

"O-oh, I use my own custom scythe. I call her Crescent Rose." Ruby answered, taking out her paper scroll and retrieving her rose-colored weapon. "It's also a high-impact sniper rifle, though I'm thinking about making a few modifications."

"A scythe huh, pretty rare to see those here. They're not exactly easy to handle, let alone use effectively." Andre remarked, "what about you Weiss? Is that a rapier?"

"it is, in fact." Weiss answered, smiling surprised.

"Well, I'm excited to see how good you two are with those things. Hopefully better than they were during the tournament." Andre said as he drew his own sword.

Ruby and Weiss quickly armed themselves, thinking that the boy was preparing to fight them. However, he had yet to point his blade at either them or even Madara. Instead, the tip hovered a centimeter above the ground. Suddenly, they could feel the presence of what the boy held his sword out for. The sand no longer moved from the ground, and therefore no longer served to distract their senses. They could feel movement from beneath their feet, an indeterminate distance away was something large, something approaching at high speeds.

"Ever seen a Grimworm before?" he asked nonchalauntly. Neither Ruby or Weiss had ever come across one personally. The only time the specific type was ever brought up was in Professor Port's lectures, most of which Ruby slept through anyways. All they knew was that they were worm-like grimm on a massive scale.

Soon enough, they would no longer be unacquainted with this particular species, as the tremors reached their peak. The ground a short distance ahead of the four suddenly crumbled, and out appeared a large pillar.

It had thick black skin and was at least ten meters in diameter. Its full length, or at least the part that was visible, was over forty meters long. As it loomed over the four, it brandished several rows of white teeth, large, serrated, and spinning as if made of separate segments. Without a moment's wait, the lamprey-like behemoth thrusted its head towards the four.

"Move!" Madara commanded as the beast neared. The four instantly moved, scattering in separate directions. Divided, they watched the creature burrow back into the ground, preparing for another strike.

"Where's it coming from?" Weiss asked, staring directly at her feet warily.

"They follow movement as well as negativity. Feel for the shaking." Andre explained, closing his eyes as he put a hand on the ground beneath the sand.

Weiss created numerous Glyphs, all floating off of the ground at different elevations for which she and Ruby could both stand on. At the very least, it would prevent the Grimworm from sensing their movement. Madara used these moments to infuse nature energy with his chakra, entering Sage Mode to use its sensory abilities.

Seconds past as they waited for the monster to resurface. Eventually, it chose Madara as its target, and tunnelled straight for him. Madara easily evaded its charging attack, before hurling a ball of fire at its side as it breached the surface. However, the creature continued to attack him, completely unaffected by the flames.

"Fire doesn't work on these things! Gotta cut it to bits" Andre warned, receiving nods of acknowledgement from the others. The Grimworm once again dove into the ground and burrowed, preparing its next attack.

" _Hm, maybe I shouldn't have ignored those lectures._ " Madara thought, mentally facepalming at himself. "What about others?"

"Not sure, I've never tried. Best thing to do is hit it until it dies."

"Weiss, Ruby!" Madara called for the girls' attention. "On my signal, restrain it and strike with lightning."

Weiss hesitates for a moment, but proceeds nonetheless. A dozen Elemental Glyphs appeared around the four, each prepared to expel an element of her desire. Simultaneously, Ruby began to generate a current in between her hands, increasing its voltage rapidly. Madara and Andre managed to keep the monster's attention on them, as well as avoiding every attempt it made to swallow them.

"R-ready! Please hurry! I can't hold this for long." Ruby stuttered, feeling the paralyzing effects of her own creation. Rather than causing her to spasm uncontrollably, her joints felt uncomfortably stiff, and it wouldn't be long before she couldn't maintain the charge.

"Wait wait wait! Sure that is even going to work?!" Andre asked, staring at Madara in disbelief. The Uchiha didn't respond, simply waiting in place for the emergence of the Grimworm.

Once again, the creature attacked from directly below. However, Madara seemingly chose not to evade, and was engulfed by the enormous worm. It roared with an unnatural noise. However, before Andre could even gasp or let out a word, he watched speechlessly as the Grimworm was suddenly bombarded. Twelve large white spikes suddenly impaled the beast from all sides, preventing it from escaping or retreating back underground. Andre traced the source of the ice-like constructs, finding that their origins were the Glyphs that Weiss had conjured.

"Wh- _that_ was the signal?!" Andre exclaimed, wide eyed and open-mouthed.

"Yep!" Ruby said, dropping down from her Glyph platform and running towards the monster. "Eat this!" she shouted as she dashed forward with her arms stretched out.

Her hands slammed into the side of the beast, channelling a large amount of electricity into its body. The worm screamed even louder, but Ruby continued to push. A few seconds after contact, her hands began to sink into its flesh, cutting through its skin with incredible ease while also paralyzing the rest of its body.

" _Woah!_ " Ruby thought, in awe of her accomplishment. " _So that's what that does to Grimm. If I make this even stronger, and practice a few more techniques, I might be able to cut a Grimm in half with a chop! That would be so cool!_ " she smiled, nearly drooling at the thought.

Suddenly, the upper half of the beast's body exploded, releasing a cloud of black smoke and flame. The force was enough to push Ruby and Andre back, both managing to instantly recover. The smoke was quickly blown away by a large gust of wind, wind that originated from Madara and his transformed Gunbai. He stepped down from the disintegrating beast's body, collapsing his weapon and walking towards the three nonchalauntly.

"I… have never seen someone do that before." Andre told Ruby, blinking constantly.

"What, killing them from the inside?" She asked, tilting her head slightly.

"Being _inside_ of a Grimm and surviving. It's never been heard of, let alone tested." Andre responded, putting a hand under his chin. "Those things have really tough hides, so they're a pain to take down without really heavy weaponry. He must've used that fan-thing to get a hold inside of its throat… i think that if you two didn't distract it, he may have died."

"What?" Ruby asked, laughing halfheartedly at his remark. "There's no way that would happen. He's practically invincible and always has a plan to get out of anything. Besides, i don't think he trusts us like that. We're pretty clumsy sometimes. This was probably just a test or a brag."

"Well… if I were to say anything, he trusts you more than you think." he whispered to Ruby. "but what's between you and that guy is none of my business. There's probably no more Grimm nearby. We should start setting up a campsite. " Andre shrugged with an indifferent look.

"But, we don't have a tent, and this probably isn't a good place for sleeping bags." Weiss reminded.

Madara walked a short distance away, before putting his hands to the ground. Using earth-release, he had created a dome-like formation out of the dry dirt and rock, one big enough to fit the four of them as well as protect them from the sand. A small feat for Ruby and Weiss, as they had seen much more impressive creations, but not for their new jaw-hanging party member.

"Wait… he can… so he can just do that? That was without dust right?" Andre asked, weakly pointing at the impossible shelter. The girls stared at him, both wearing desensitized expressions as if it was a mundane occurrence. "A guy should-I mean, I didn't even see any dust. To do something like that is like-"

"Like magic? You'll get used to it." Ruby chuckled lightly as she walked towards the shelter.

Watching the sixteen year old walk away, Andre turned to Weiss."What else can he do?

"Hm," Weiss hummed, "I've seen him breath fire, spit jets of water, and blast people with miniature tornadoes. Basically, anything you can think of with Dust, but a thousand times stronger. Don't worry, I've thought about the possibilities too, but also don't bother talking to him about it, he doesn't talk about them." Weiss smiled hollowly, as if disappointed by her own declaration.

"I… i see… so, then is that what your Glyphs are based off of?" Andre asked. "Your family's known for your semblance and its wide range of abilities, but you use the elements without dust like he does."

Weiss smiled, looking at Madara in the distance. "Well, that's flattering, but i can't do nearly as much as what he can. I would say he's the strongest person in the world."

Andre looked off to the side, as if contemplating Weiss's remark "Hmm… you two admire him a lot, but I think i get why. But I wonder how annoying it can be with his personality."

"You have no idea, but sometimes you can get him to listen." Weiss replied, chuckling self deprecatingly. "Anyways, there's something i noticed. Well, Ruby did first actually. Your skin is more pale than I thought it would be."

"W-well, i'm always wearing long sleeves and masks and such. If i didn't, i'd probably have sunburn everywhere." Andre answered calmly.

"I see.." Weiss said, looking at the boy as she contemplated his response. "Nevermind then, I guess it was Ruby's and my imagination. Sorry for asking."

 **END**


	55. Chapter 55

Chapter 55

* * *

 **Salem's Domain**

* * *

"Hazel, do you have a moment?" Dr. Watts asked, being that the two were alone.

"What is it?" He responded with a monotonous and gruff voice.

Watts hesitated, scanning his surroundings warily. "Those… creatures that are kept within the castle… they are entirely unnatural, even taking into account the existence of the Grimm."

"What's your point?"

"My point is, we know nothing about them or their origin, but we _do_ know is that they are powerful. It's beyond any sort of technology and reaches into what can only be described as impossible. Frankly, i don't think that even Salem herself would fair particularly well against the larger fox-like one. So the question arises, where exactly has she obtained these creatures? What if they are to turn on us, and become a threat greater than the Grimm?" He said to himself with a grave tone of voice.

"To find that out, you'd need Spring's relic." Hazel answered simply, as if it was none of his concern.

"Ah, yes, the maidens. According to the information I gathered in Haven's headmaster's office, they have been missing for over a decade." Watts explained, letting out a frustrated groan. "I'm still working on decrypting the rest of his notes, but it seems that they still on the continent of Anima. On that note, I also came to inform you that you will be accompanying me and… Cinder… in the search for the Spring Maiden."

Hazel lowered his crossed arms, grunting in acknowledgement. "How do we capture her?"

"The plan is to locate and convince them to assist. Detainment is a last resort option for us. I can only hope our own maiden does not hinder us as I expect she will… Between the two of us, i would prefer if the other girl was accompanying us instead of Cinder. As much as I dislike Juliet's attitude, she is at least more competent."

"What's done is done." Hazel replied uncaringly.

"Indeed. Nevertheless, we will be departing in two days time. I would suggest using that time to arrange any necessary resources and equipment." Watts explained turning to leave. However, before making it far, he felt Hazel's hand place itself on his shoulder.

"Can Salem, really hold up her end?" He asked, a hint of worry nearly breaking the surface of his hoarse voice.

"Remains to be seen, but we must have faith." Watts answered, waiting for Hazel to let go before resuming his departure.

* * *

 **Elsewhere**

* * *

Pressing forward, the four walked through the dunes nearly unimpeded. Thanks to Andre, Ruby and Weiss were armed with spare equipment, goggles and masks to cover their own faces. It was one of the few times either had been so thankful over such simple items. Unfortunately, the planet seemed to be even less cooperative.

Their eyes, mouths, and noses were shielded. Their clothes, though covered in sand and degraded by weather, continued to protect them relatively well. However, that sand and the winds that carried them seemed to respond accordingly. Rather than sand in their eyes, sand covered the fours' goggles instead.

"Have, have we really gotten any closer to the Academy?" Ruby asked with a desperately hopeful tone

"I-I can't tell anymore." Andre groaned to himself, practically pressing a compass and map against his eyes. "I can , let alone figure out which way we're going."

"Didn't you say you were prepared for bad sandstorms?" Weiss said sarcastically.

"That's the thing. Storms like this don't happen often. Maybe once every few years, and we get alerts for when they are coming to get indoors. This just came completely out of nowhere! "

"Madara, help would be nice!" Weiss asked.

"The storm isn't natural." Madara answered calmly, his Sharingan activated and scanning their surroundings.

Weiss rolled her eyes as his answer. "I meant help with the storm that's trying to kill us."

Madara stopped for a moment, before nodding affirmatively. He made three hand signs, "Fūton: Fūjinheki". Suddenly, the sand that bombarded them had all but stopped, as a swirl of white seemed to surround the four on all sides. A dome of translucent white streaks spun around them, acting as a shield against the environment.

"I'm liking this guy more and more." Andre joked, giving a short applaud to the Uchiha's gift. "Can he also conjure up a lake?"

"Don't ask that for that." Both Ruby and Weiss said simultaneously, their voices stern and serious, causing Andre to immediately cease the idea. He didn't think it possible, but it was better to be safe than sorry, especially considering the concerns of Madara's companions.

"Alright, so then a different question." Andre said, pointing a finger to the top of the dome. "Does this thing move? Because if not, we're going to have to wait out the storm. That being said, I'm not prepared to wait out something this big."

"How long is it going to last?" Ruby asked worriedly.

"Something like this, maybe two weeks? This one's weird; it came out of completely thin air. It's unnatural I'd say…" Andre lowered his finger, looking from side to side suspiciously. Just as he did when he sensed a Grimworm, the boy pressed his hand against the ground. However, there was no shaking that would suggest one was actually approaching. "Speaking of unnatural… there's some heat a ways away."

"Well, it _is_ a desert." Ruby remarked, chuckling lightly.

"No, not that. This feels completely different." Andre quickly responded, a scowl forming on his face. "The heat here is dry, comes and goes, and only changes when the sun goes down. The ground is getting warmer and warmer too fast. I'd say something or someone is generating it, but I can't imagine why."

Madara immediately activated his Sharingan, looking at the ground beneath Andre's hand. There was an incredibly faint, almost nonexistent, orange tint in some of the sand beneath the boy. The further he looked beyond both the boy and the shield of wind he created, the orange became incrementally more pronounced.

" _A tailed beast, other than the One Tail, nearby. Are they fighting, or are they gathering?_ " Madara asked himself. "Two might be an issue, if these three remain present…no, those beasts are of utmost importance." He decided, unknowingly clenching his fists.

"If it's artificial, then all we need to do is stop it from continuing. I'm sure Madara could figure out where the source is if we gave him some time." Weiss suggested.

"Uh, Weiss, I think he already did." Ruby commented, looking at Madara as he stared intently in a single direction. "What do you see, Madara?"

" _Telling them not to follow would be utterly pointless_ , but explaining anything would mean a greater incentive to interfere." Madara sighed exhaustedly. He turned his head towards Ruby, allowing her to see his crimson red eyes. "Tailed Beasts."

"Like that slug thing?" she asked, tilting her head to the side. He nodded, causing Ruby's eyes to light up with emotions. She had encountered many non-Grimm creatures before; all were massive behemoths with impossible powers. Only one she managed to deal any sort of damage to, whilst the others were almost soundlessly dealt with by her older brother. She felt worry and fear, but also an eagerness to engage.

" _Should I be thankful that he's telling us this, or concerned for his mental health? Well, whatever the case is, as long as he's around there's nothing to worry about._ " Weiss thought, shrugging her shoulders indifferently. "Well then, let's get rid of them before they cause issues for anyone else."

"Wait, you're telling me that we're going to go up against something that can control weather, with an expectation to _win_?" Andre stared dumbfounded at the girls, who smiled sympathetically at him. "You Beacon students are more insane than I thought. Whatever, i guess." He sighed, offering up his aid.

Without any naysayers the four, protected by a veil of wind, resumed their journey. With protection against the outside, they were able to regain sense of direction. However, their journey to Shade Academy was temporarily put on hold in favor of following Madara.

Twenty minutes past as they walked seemingly without direction. However, they _were_ making progress. Both Madara and Ruby could see the chakra within the sand, becoming more pronounced as they walked. For the two who hadn't a way to observe Chakra, other signs made themselves apparent. The ground shook violently and at random intervals. The heat that Andre felt on the ground could actually be felt within the air.

Finally, after another few minutes, they could hear something akin to a war zone. More accurately, massive explosions and equally loud animalistic roars Neither of the two were what one might consider "inviting".

"I'm, seriously having doubts about our chances." Andre said, chuckling weakly. "I've never heard a grimm big enough to make sounds like that."

"What we're going after… well hehe, I'm pretty sure is not a Grimm." Ruby muttered, unable to directly look at Andre's subsequent glare.

Instead, she chose to refocus her attention on the two concentrations of Chakra directly ahead of them. One of the masses was gigantic, but was just shy of being pure orange. The much smaller body on the other hand, which was the size of a human, was much deeper in color. There were also small pool-like masses of chakra on the ground that moved like some kind of molten metal or lava.

Without any words, Madara walked forward, stepping out of the veil of wind with his mask and goggles on. He gestured to the three; an order to wait and observe, to act as they saw fit. With that, he departed to engage.

First step on the list: ascertain the status of the enemy. There was not one, but two individuals with large chakra reserves to keep wary of. As expected, the One Tailed Beast Shukaku was present and likely responsible for the irregular weather patterns. However, what was not so expected was the—also present—Jinchuuriki, who was responsible for the abnormal heat.

The Jinchuuriki had a tail sprouting from their lower abdomen, a replica of the original, It was nothing unusual for Jinchuuriki. The fact that this tail and the person was completely covered in molten lava, on the other hand, was a distinguishing feature of the Four Tails Jinchuuriki.

"Luna…?" Madara thought, looking at the two confused. They were locked in combat, the smaller dancing around the larger while hurling lava onto the Tanuki. In turn, Shukaku commanded the sound around him to envelop and crush the Jinchuuriki, but was unsuccessful.

Any attempt to use Wind Release would have been futile due to one of the components of Lava Release being fire, the perfect counter to wind. Even with the Beast's field advantage, Luna had apparently created dozens of pools of lava that she was able to stand on. Even if they were covered over, she could make another with ease.

Shukaku squeezed its hands together before spitting out large shards of stone like bullets. They bombarded Luna's position, but she easily deflected those that would have hit. She continued to spray the beast with streams of lava that caused little to no actual damage.

" _This won't end in anything more than stalemate unless something interferes._ " Madara thought, forming the hand signs for a Lightning-Release jutsu. He waited for the moment that the girl would distance herself, and that moment came soon. "Raiton: Bakurai"

Suddenly, Shukaku was hit from the side, a piercing line of energy emitted from Madara's hands, a beam that burned and electrocuted at the same time. With great potency, it drilled into the target's body, causing it to scream in pain.

"Huh?!" Luna exclaimed, turning her head towards Madara with a shocked face. "Madara, what are you doing here?!"

"Hold back. This fight is ours." He commanded, not waiting for a response before advancing on the Beast.

Shukaku roared angrily at Madara, clenching its fists before pounding them into the ground. The ensuing pulse send a tidal wave of sand at the Uchiha, who countered by creating a web of electricity. With its initial attack failed, it raised four large walls of sand all around the Uchiha that converged on his position. Like water, they swiftly moved and engulfed him with intent to crush him under the weight of the sand. However, his Susanoo was more enough to protect him as well as break free.

Before being able to make use of his Susanoo any further, Madara's vision suddenly became a completely blur. He could feel the blue chakra construct evaporate as his left eye lost its sight. If nothing else, his right eye was still fully functioning. Unfortunately, what he saw with is working eye was a dark purple sphere of chakra growing by the second. The Tailed Beast Bomb was aimed at him, and while he could defend well enough, the others may not fair so well. A Tailed Beast Bomb the size of a basketball could easily level a city street, and the one in front of Shukaku's mouth was three times as large.

However, before he could act on any of the dozen ideas he had, something came in between him and the Tailed Beast. The girl completely covered in lava, Luna, had positioned herself directly between the two, her arms spread out and her face towards the beast. Madara stared confusedly at the act, but also took the time to look at the three who accompanied him. They were surrounded in a shroud of ice, purer in color than Weiss had ever created before.

"I don't know what's between you two, but those purple things are too dangerous." Luna shouted as she allowed the lava on her body to peel off.

For the first time in a long while, Madara was genuinely caught off guard. Not so much the girl's protest, but the fact that the Tailed Beast Bomb began shrinking until it disappeared completely. It scowled at her, a look of frustration and irritation. In response, Madara's eyes reverted to their normal charcoal black.

Luna sighed, turning to face Madara. "Well now that the two of you have calmed down, i hope, i would like to ask some things."

" _My sentiments exactly._ " Madara thought, nodding to the girl. He looked back towards Ruby, Weiss, and Andre. They had apparently made a hole within the front and began walking towards him.

"You brought…" Luna trailed off, her eyes seeming to focus specifically on the boy. In contrast, Andre seemed to be doing everything in his power to _avoid_ eye contact with the silver haired girl. His face had "uncomfortable" written over it. "Wait, when did Ana come back?"

" _Ana?_ " Madara raised a silent eyebrow.

Upon arriving, Ruby took a moment to look between the three in front of her. Two people with the powers of monsters, and an actual monster. Just like before, she could see that the One Tailed tanuki was completely comprised of orange chakra, yet it seemed to be a living being.

"Ruby! Weiss!" Luna exclaimed, running to meet the two with open arms. "It's great to see you two again."

"You too Luna." Ruby said as she and her partner returned the gesture.

Weiss let go first, turning her attention to the massive creature beside them. She looked at it warily, as if it would kill them the moment their guards were down. "So… this is what you're up to now?"

"What?" Luna looked confused at Weiss, before realizing where the latter was looking. "Oh, you mean this guy. Yeah, awhile ago I stumbled across him sleeping or something. It woke up and tried to kill me for about ten minutes before giving up i guess. So since he failed, he's my friend." She suddenly paused, looking at the tanuki as if it said something. Its mouth was open, yet no sound came out. "Oh yes you are!" She said abruptly.

"Uh… what?" Ruby asked, looking blankly at Luna.

Luna pointed to her head. "Telepathy; he talks using his mind." she answered. "I dunno why, guess it's because he doesn't have a tongue. Hey, big guy, let them hear you why don't you."

"Shut up!" Suddenly Ruby, Weiss, and Andre all instinctively clamped their eyes shut as a booming voice invaded their heads. It was masculine, not belonging to either of the present boys. It was the beast's voice.

"Luna, I want an explanation." Madara demanded. "How do you have it under your control."

"Control?" Luna raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean? I don't control him, we're just friends."

"We're not!" Shukaku shouted again, ringing the heads of their audience once more.

Luna rolled her eyes at the outcry. "Anyways, I don't have any control over him. Wouldn't even want to if I had the choice."

"With all of the power that it and others possess, you don't believe that needs to be controlled?" Madara asked, crossing his arms.

"If someone has power, they'll figure out how to keep it under control one way or another. If they can't, then other people should help them, but never try to control it themselves. Try to decide what's best for someone, and you do it to everyone else, and then nobody wins."

"Then you won't try to stop us from continuing where we left off." He continued, raising an eyebrow towards the girl.

"For once, i agree with the bastard." Shukaku groaned discontentedly.

Luna sighed, stepping to the side with the other three. "You're right, but could you at least try to talk things out? It's not like you're in a hurry to fight."

Madara and Shukaku, denizens of a different world, looked at one another for a brief few seconds. They both looked back at the four who watched, and came to the same conclusion. Ultimately, it needed to happen for better or worse.

"Ruby, Weiss, stay behind me. This will conclude quickly" Madara warned, turning away to remove his blind eye.

"You too, brat." Shukaku said to Luna. She stared at the command with a confused look, inevitably relenting and joining the others in putting Madara between them and the Tailed Beast. "You got twenty seconds." he declared to the Uchiha.

Carefully, Madara reinserted his left eye, Not a moment later had he jumped back and avoided being slammed into the ground. His headstart was over, but as he opened his left eye, he could _see_ that it was plenty of time.

Shukaku immediately began to charge a Tailed Beast Bomb, thousands of small black and white particles of chakra combining into a single sphere. Madara reactivated his Susanoo, covering him and the four behind. In the four arms of the blue giant manifested six Yasaka Magatama, held together by a thin chakra string like a necklace. Adding further, each of the bead-shaped projectiles started to spark with electricity,

For almost a minute, the two attacks charged to their utmost, and all at once, the two were launched. They collided dead center, the accumulated energy of both attacks coalescing into a single ball of destructive energy. In a fraction of a second, the energy switched from going in to going out.

 **END**


	56. Chapter 56

Chapter 56

Vacuo's desert was an ever changing landscape. Strong winds and shuffling sand would erase any traces of human, Faunus, or Grimm activity. In theory, one could commit murder, and any potential proof would be swept underneath multiple layers of sand. However, one day, its ability to absorb and enshroud would be challenged.

Somewhere in the desert was an explosion, one bigger than anything the desert had dealt with before. The ][strength of the blast created a perfectly round crater within the ground, more than fifteen meters deep and hundreds of meters wide. Not only that, but the excess heat had scorched the sand, creating a bowl of dirty white glass. If the environment was in-arable before, the explosion had guaranteed that status permanently.

And at the bottom of the crater, ground zero, was a group of people and a monster. The blue mass that once resembled a human's upper body was almost completely destroyed. Only segments of its skeleton remained to protect the humans within. Fortunately, it did its job, and nobody was harmed by the blast despite their proximity.

On the other hand, there was Shukaku, the One Tailed Beast. It appeared to be mostly unharmed, save for a few burns and scratches. However, it was rendered nonetheless unconscious by the explosion and laid on the ground. Even so, its growled as it breathed as if still discontent with the results of their clash.

" _And that's that. I was lucky to have been able to finish that without expending too much Chakra. Although, the same will not be applicable when I come across the Nine Tails… the time will come soon enough._ " Madara thought, dispelling his Susanoo and creating four shadow clones.

Everyone watched as the five Madaras surrounded the beast's massive body, performing the same sealing technique for the fourth time. The blue chains slithered and wrapped around its body. The half of the audience that _hadn't_ seen the process before had their jaws hanging wide open. Their shock only grew as the tanuki's body shrunk and turned red. While absorbing the last of the One Tails into his body, Madara started to feel uneasy. His stomach churned unnaturally, but bearably. As such, he paid little to no mind and allowed his clones to disperse.

Brushing the dust off of his clothes, he looked at the shocked and indifferent faces of the four.

"Did you just eat him?" Luna asked, pointing a weak finger at the Uchiha. She looked to Ruby and Weiss, hoping that one of the two could answer even a yes or no. Unfortunately, all they could do was offer clueless shrugs. Truth be told, they didn't know either. What the boy did and why was known to a very small few. "Lemme rephrase. Did you kill him?"

"No, I didn't." Madara answered, causing Luna to let out a sigh of relief.

"That's something at least." she muttered, looking around at the glassed landscape. "Well, with all that out of the way, it's nice to see you all again. In good health it looks like." Luna smiled approvingly at Ruby and Weiss. "But what brings you three to the deserts of Vacuo? Hardly seem like the type to actually _want_ to come here."

"Well, that's.. Not exactly an easy question" Ruby said shyly, scratching her head. "We're sort of following Madara and looking for giant monsters, things that aren't Grimm. We're also looking for a girl named Jacqueline Hail."

Luna cupped her chin, humming quietly to herself. Although, she glanced up seemingly at the girls. "Hm, dunno anyone by that name. What about you Ana?" she asked. What followed next was done so in complete silence. Ruby, Weiss, and Madara stared at Luna, before turning their heads to Andre. Andre blanked completely, looking at Luna as if he was just betrayed.

"I'm sorry, um, what did she just say?" Ruby asked the embarrassed boy.

"Luna, just to be clear, do you mean Andre?" Weiss asked for confirmation.

"Nope, that's Ana. She can't fool me no matter how much she tries to change how she looks. Here, let me show you." The girl said confidently. She strutted towards "Ana", holding out two fingers on each hand.

"Hey! Luna wai-!" Andre tried to step back in retreat and protest, but it was far too late. Not a single word could be finished before the girl started.

Luna had suddenly thrust her hands at Andre's body. Jabbing at various places in rapid succession. Each thrust carried the strength and speed to shatter stone, yet no more than her fingertips ever made contact. They seemed random at first, but every strike was clearly deliberate and aimed. It was something neither Ruby nor Weiss had ever seen. However, it looked familiar to Madara; something akin to the Hyuga Clan's Gentle Fist.

Contrasting with the dually offensive and defensive martial art of his old world, what Luna did seemed to be neither. However it still clearly affected Andre, as every time her fingers made contact with his body, some sort of change was made. With a few quick jabs the boys hair, his eyes, and his body changed radically. In less than thirty seconds, he was a completely different person. With brighter hair, blue eyes, a shorter height and thinner frame, "He" wasn't the most appropriate word anymore.

Both Ruby and Weiss were utterly perplexed by what had just transpired, their eyes blinking rapidly as if failing to comprehend. Luna, on the other hand, smiled contently with what she had done. The face of the "boy" named "Andre" bore the same red as Ruby's cloak on its cheeks.

* * *

 **Xiao Long-Rose Family House**

* * *

Bumblebee, a bright yellow motorcycle belonging to Yang Xiao Long. built for speed and maneuverability, it could easily outpace most race cars. For several months, it sat within a tool shed collecting dust and rust alike. However, its time spent withering away had finally come to an end. Parts were replaced, the rust was removed, and paint was reapplied. After many months, it was in top form once again. It wasn't alone in that regard.

"Yes! She looks as good as new." Yang said, revving the engine as if boasting.

With bags under her eyes, Blake let out an exhausted sigh. "Took two days just replacing things." she commented, looking at her sore hands.

"But it was definitely worth it. This will get us anywhere faster than any car or train. Besides, imagine how long it would have taken if I wasn't a quick healer. That would be a huge pain." Yang replied, smiling proudly.

"You know, it's still hard to believe you've been cleared for going out after less than a month. Most people would still be in bed resting… Not you I guess."

Yang laughed, "You got that right. Now, we have half of our team to look for. She hasn't answered any of my calls, so she probably lost her phone. If what my dad said was right though, then they're headed to Vacuo." she said, putting on a pair of gloves and picking up a bright yellow helmet,

"How are we supposed to find them? Even if they're in Vacuo, it's a big kingdom." Blake countered as she too grabbed a bike helmet. "We're not just going to wait for a disaster to happen and hope they show up, right?"

"Well, there's that option." Yang chuckled, picking up a pair of paper scrolls. "There's also these things. I grabbed a bunch of them from his room. Figured that if I use them, he'll probably come to us. It'll be just like baiting a fish."

Blake stared at her partner with a concerned look. "Are you sure that's safe? Do we even know what those do? Not to mention, isn't he the only person who can use those because of 'Chakra'?" she asked, pointing at the scrolls.

"You'd think, but I found out a little something from Ruby." Yang chuckled excitedly. "Apparently, she and I have a little bit of Chakra. I don't really know why, i think it's because we grew up with Madara, Anyways, i'm not sure what they say exactly, but I have some ideas." she said as she displayed the contents of one of the scrolls. "Like this one. It took a long time, but I figured out a few of what these characters mean. This scroll has something to do with fireworks or a lot of paper bombs. The other one is, I dunno, but it probably does something cool."

" _You have Chakra too? Is that why she healed faster, like that Luna girl?_ " Blake tilted her head, her cat ears twitching with intrigue. "Did… did Ruby say anything about Weiss or me having Chakra?"

"Hmm," Yang hummed, her eyes moving from side to side. "I don't think so. She just sorta mentioned it to me one day… now that I think about it, maybe that's part of the reason I'm back in shape so early." she remarked, looking at her chest curiously. " _Not even a tiny scar too. Chakra is broken, but I have it so I'm not complaining._ "

"Are you sure we shouldn't bring any more than just this?" Blake asked, lifting up two large black duffel bags.

"A lot of water, some long-lasting food, and clothes for each of us… yep. We're good." Yang nodded, confidently. In comparison to the other half of team RWBY, they were much better prepared. At the very least, they had prepared clothing to fit the environments they were sure to traverse, supplies to last on, and money if the need arose.

"You ready to head out?" Yang asked, holding out her arm invitingly.

Blake paused for a second, nodding before tossing one of the bags to her partner. "yeah, I think so."

"Then let's get a move on. Kept them waiting long enough!"

* * *

 **Vacuo**

* * *

"Uh… what?" Ruby asked, her mouth hanging slightly open.

"Surprised? Yeah, I don't think I ever told you about this, but I can do another neat trick. Some semblances are active, some are passive. The ones that are active, I can deactivate if I hit the right places. They're like pressure points, but they're also are in different places everyone, so it's really hard to do it on someone you don't know all that well. Good thing I've had over a year and done it lots on this one here. I have those points mapped out in my head." Luna grinning innocently, shaking "Andre" playfully.

" _I didn't know that was possible._ " Madara thought, eyeing the two who stood across from them. " _Being able to neutralize someone else's semblance; It's similar to the Hyuga's martial art in more than just appearance. Was a Hyuga also transported to this world at some point in time, or is it just a coincidence?_ "

"So, his-her-Ana's semblance is to look different?" Weiss said, raising an eyebrow.

"Not just look, _be_ different. Ana here can change almost any part of their body, to some degree. Hair color, voice pitch, _width_." she said, cracking herself up. "And a few other things."

"So _he_ is actually a _her_." Ruby concluded, gaining a thumbs up from Luna. "I… don't really know what to say."

"Well, how about reintroduction? This is the first time y'all have seen this before right? So you haven't actually seen who she really is."

"No need." Madara stepped forward, looking at Ana the same way he always had. "You said you would take us to our destination. As long as that's fulfilled, there's no problem here." He declared.

Ana had been taken aback, looking at Madara with a different kind of surprise. However, she quickly cleared her throat and regained her composure. "That's right, I told you I'd help you find someone."

"Well then, I'll be heading back." Luna said, removing her arm from Ana's shoulders and walking away.

"Wait, there is something else." Madara spoke again. "Who was it that you learned from, that taught you such techniques?"

Luna lowered her head, mouthing something to herself silently. When she turned her head back to face the four, her smile had waned. "His name… well, I haven't seen him in a very long time, so I guess it doesn't matter. I think his name was Mekah."

"Mekah… very well then. That's all I had to ask." Madara said, allowing the girl to continue her departure. He watched as the silver haired girl climbed her way out of the glassed crater. He suddenly felt anger, an anger that was self-directed, a bothersome feeling. Nevertheless, it was something he had to stomach. He turned back towards Ruby, Weiss, and Ana. "Now then. Let's continue."

"Hey, just a moment." Ana said, crossing her arms firmly. "How are you so calm about this, about me looking different?" she asked, glancing at Ruby and Weiss. "They didn't exactly take it in stride, what's keeping you so calm?"

Promptly, all three of the girls looked at Madara with the same face. They all wanted an answer, if it even existed, from the only person that could. In line with their perplexion, Madara himself was confused by the looks they gave. To him, the answer was very simple: In the world he came from it wasn't anything special. Transformation techniques were abundant enough that everyone he knew was capable of changing their forms. Even animals like dogs or cats could appear human-like if trained properly.

However, he also had to remember the world he lived in now. Nobody had Chakra to perform those techniques, and most likely didn't have Semblances to replicate them. Therefore, to both comply with their demands and waste as little time as possible, he had one option. Upon thinking for a short time about a way to present himself, Madara raised a single hand, and his body was suddenly enveloped in a cloud of smoke.

"No… you can't be serious." Ruby muttered, waiting in disbelief for the smoke to clear.

"Is he for real?" Ana asked desperately.

"I have a bad feeling about whatever we're going to see." Weiss remarked, smiling wryly as if she was about to scream.

The white cloud thinned, revealing what the three vaguely and reluctantly expected. The fact that his hair actually shortened had put the three off initially. However as their eyes continued downwards, that disoriented start took a quick and unfortunate turn. The three could only describe his appearance as female, among some more envious adjectives, yet in an instant another puff of white smoke evaporated the illusion.

"So he can do that too… I'll be honest, that wasn't as bad as I thought." Weiss said, the other girls nodding as if she represented them.

"Enough of that. Time to continue." Madara said, turning and walking towards the edge of the glass bowl.

The girls followed closely behind Madara, as if they were an entourage. Together, the four soon reached the edge of the bowl and were back on their way. Thanks to Shukaku no longer being present, the sandstorm had dissipated completely. No longer did the four need to wear goggles or masks, much to Ruby's and Weiss's relief. Additionally, the compass resumed functionality, and the map was once again visible. Although more impressive than that was the fact that Madara needed neither in order to walk in the correct direction.

"How many more of those giant things are out there?" Ruby whispered to her partner.

"I don't know, maybe five or six? I can't think of a creature with more than nine tails on his back." Weiss said, looking at Ruby with as if she expected to be proven wrong. "Actually, now that I think about it, Luna has one of those in her as well. It had four tails, right?"

"Y...yes. I think so" Ruby said cautiously. It had been a long time since they had seen her lose control and transform into that red creature.

"What do you think would happen if he absorbed, or whatever he does, one that's already inside another person?" Weiss asked, cupping her chin.

"Um, well, i don't think he'll ever do that. Luna has hers under control, so I'm sure if anyone else has one inside them then they'll be fine as well." She said with a hopeful smile. "By the way, that huge ice barrier you made was pretty cool. It was better than the ice you've made before." Ruby complimented, holding up her hand and waiting for a high-five. However, that gesture was never returned, causing Ruby to tilt her head. "What?"

"That's just it…" Weiss muttered, wearing a puzzled face. "That pure blue, that's the color of the strongest kind of ice. I've gotten bits and pieces of mine to be close to that, but never full blue. I don't even remember concentrating long enough to make anything like that. Was it really me who made that?"

"Well, nobody else uses Ice; not me, Ana, and I've never seen Madara do it. Maybe you just did it on instinct? Like in those cartoons, where people unleash their real power without thinking about it." She suggested.

Weiss looked away, briefly humming to herself. "Maybe, I'm not sure. If that _is_ the case, I hope I can figure out how to do it on command. That would certainly be nice." she said, smiling discontentedly.

"My name." Ana muttered, catching the attention of the three momentarily. "My full name, is Anastasia Kalt."

"We're glad to finally have you, Ana." Ruby quickly replied, grinning and patting the girl on the back as if they were old friends. Weiss seemed perturbed by the gesture, looking at Ruby as if offended or hurt, much to Ana's amusement. With the day still young and the sun sitting high in the sky, they marched onwards, not stopping until they reached their destination: Vacuo. Somewhere within the kingdom they were going to find Jacqueline Hail, the Winter Maiden and key to the Relic of Creation.

Although, there was an odd about their predicament. According to Ozpin, the maiden had ventured out to investigate the source. Yet not once had they encountered anyone that appeared to be even looking for anything. They still had no idea what the maiden looked like or what they may act like. Things were soon to become more troublesome.

 **END**


	57. Chapter 57

Chapter 57

On an open dirt road somewhere between Vale and Vacuo, a battle had taken place. The ground was burned black in several areas .The surrounding trees were cut down, fractured into pieces, or uprooted entirely. It was a battlefield,

Two people were present, one girl on top of another, the former strangling the latter with all of the remaining strength they could muster. Suddenly, with the sound of a small explosion, the girl whose back was pushed against the ground went limp. Her ability to scream, speak, or even breath, was taken.

The girl that had caused this leaned her head closer, staring into the eyes of her victim. She neither smiled nor frowned. Her expression was almost remorseful, as if she pitied her victim.

"This isn't personal, hope you understand." She whispered to the girl. With one hand squeezing hard on the lower girl's neck, she stuck out her free hand. Her aura took a visible blue color, gathering at her fingertips and molding into the shape of a blade. In an instant, she thrust the weapon directly into the other girl's heart.

The victim's body went completely limp. Her eyes twitched uncontrollably, before slowly closing shut. From that point on, their eyes would never open again. A few seconds later, her body shook as if something from within was struggling free. Such was in fact the case, as an ethereal orange substance suddenly erupted from the body and into the assaillant.

"So, this is what that feels like." The remaining girl said, her entire body gradually rising off of the ground without the assistance of Dust. "This is pretty neat. I've always wanted to fly. One thing left."

* * *

 **Elsewhere - The Next Day**

* * *

A sea of black, several thousands of the Creatures of Grimm laid siege to the kingdom's border wall. From the outside, it looked similar to the beginning of the Grimm attack that Vale and Beacon had suffered, but on a smaller scale. Even so, the number of Grimm and the many types were reasons enough be considered a national emergency.

The monstrous creatures of varying sizes pressed hard against the stone wall that stood in their way. With the help of dozens of guards that rained fire from above, the wall remained firm. At least, for the moment it did.

Grimm types like Grimworms, King Taijitu, Sphinxes, and Deathstalkers; were relatively common and elimination methods were devised. However, the presence of Creeps, Beowolves, and Manticores was off putting. Not only were they uncommon, but the sheer number of them was an occurrence that had never once happened since the Great War. No matter how much ammunition was unloaded, the horde would never shrink.

Madara, Ruby, Weiss, and Ana stood a short but significant distance away on a hilltop. They watched the chaos slowly unfold.

" _This… I can't believe it._ " Weiss thought, unintentionally gripping the handle of her rapier. " _It doesn't even have hard light shields, If that wall breaks the people on the inside are going to die…_ "

"Why is this happening again?" Ruby asked to nobody in particular.

"They're being controlled." Both Madara and Ana said in unison, the former catching their attention more.

"Is it because of Salem, like Professor Ozpin said?" Ruby asked, knowing the answer before she even asked. She understood that there was only one entity that could organize such a large concentration of Grimm, and that same entity aimed for the Relic that belonged to Vacuo's Shade Academy. The repetition of this fact within her head caused her fists to clench tightly. "I just… I don't get it. If she's actually smart, and can think, then why does she want to destroy everything? How could anyone actually want this?"

" _It isn't our concern. We have our priorities._ " Madara wanted to say, yet his mouth wouldn't allow the sentence. He could vividly imagine their responses, their reactions, their unspoken intentions. "Ana, are you aware of _who_ Jacqueline Hail is?" he asked.

"She's the winter maiden." Ana answered, much to the surprise of Ruby and Weiss. Her tone was calm, as serious as Madara was.

He nodded to himself, sighing contentedly. "I see. Are you certain they are still within the borders?"

"I… I can guarantee that you'll find her when we arrive."

"Hm, very well then." Madara muttered, reaching behind him and clutching the handle of his war fan. "Ruby, Weiss, prepare yourselves to engage."

The partners looked at him, as if he had said another unbelievable statement. However, they were not confused. They were certainly caught off guard, but certainly not going to decline or refuse. None of them wore a smile, but they all had already armed themselves. Ruby's scythe was unfolded with electricity coursing through its blade. Ana, who's weapon appeared to be a regular single-edged sword, inserted a white Dust crystal into the hilt.

"You use Ice Dust?" Weiss asked, tilting her head with surprise.

"Something like that." Ana replied, smiling mischievously.

No later had a Time Dilation-Glyph appeared beneath the four, and in the blink of an eye the four vanished from sight. They did not run towards the sea of black. It was but a single step from all of them, more akin to a dash or a leap.

The elements of nature seemed to lend themselves to the four as they made contact. Hundreds of Grimm were suddenly flung into the air, as if struck by a tornado or a hurricane. Those that remained grounded were engulfed by bright orange flames. What started as a single spark of electricity quickly grew into a lightning bolt as it jumped from Grimm to Grimm, disintegrating anything that was caught by the line. From beneath, the Grimm were frozen in place by a large sheet of ice. From above, they were skewered and crushed by large ice lances.

The spectacle was enough to draw the attention, more specifically the surprise and confusion, of the men and women that guarded the wall. Thankfully, the decrease in supportive firepower was inconsequential for the four, who continued to thin the population of invading Grimm with great haste.

In the midst of the conflict, an idea surfaced in Madara's head. " _If I had my Rinnegan, I could have dropped a meteor on this army… though the collateral damage would be irreparable. No, it simply wouldn't exist afterwards._ " he thought, picturing the reactions in his mind. " _Still, eliminating a threat of this size might benefit me in the future. If I were to use the Susanoo..._ "

Ruby continued to run with her scythe at her side, using the spearhead on the other end to run through the hides of anything she ran into. Though she hadn't thought about it, Ruby had much less trouble controlling her movement than usual. Even with her increased speed, she didn't need to use the rifle component's recoil for course correction.

For a moment, she glanced back at Madara, or more appropriately the large blue humanoid that manifested in the middle of the battlefield. It was the upper body of a human, like earlier, but wasn't covered in armor and wielded swords instead. Nonetheless, it obviously belonged to Madara. " _There he goes._ " She groaned to herself, frowning enviously at the titan. The large chakra construct was extremely effective at killing Grimm, easily a cheat. If they were ever going to have a contest, its use would have to be prohibited." _How much can that thing do at full power?_ " She wondered, shaking her head and refocusing on her own prey.

" _I'm really hoping that I don't get tired of seeing that thing._ " Weiss thought as she looked at Madara's ability, raising her sword behind her and skewering a Grimm with ease. She looked behind her, to see the Beowolf reaching for her from the other end of the blade. However, it's head was swiftly removed from its shoulders by Ana's sword.

Her fighting style was centered around speed, like Ruby's, but her attacks were based more around spinning attacks and a more frequent usage of dust. By jumping and spinning, she acted like a circular saw. Her blade would then become coated in some element for increased range or damage. Yet despite how nauseating it must have been to constantly spin in circles, she moved with an unreal amount of aerial maneuverability no matter how many times she had done it.

With just the four in action, the tables had turned. Rather than being a long-winded effort to whittle down the enemy's numbers, a counterattack was in motion to rapidly siphon the numbers while preventing any loss of human life. In just a few short minutes, a complete bloodless victory had been achieved.

* * *

 **Principal's Office - The Next Day**

* * *

"So, allow me to get this straight." A middle aged man said, leaning his head on the bridge his hands made. "Four of you teenagers, without any support, had eliminated over three thousand Creatures of Grimm. At the same time, none of you had suffered any serious injuries."

"Well, there was _also_ the appearance of the Azure Titan." Ana added.

"Yes yes, the reports from the wall's guards said as much. Putting aside where it came from, we were fortunate that it had." he said, leaning back into his chair. "Really feels like the world's falling apart." he muttered frustratedly.

The man looked to be around in his thirties or forties. His hair was a dirty blond, like straw. His eyes were sunken in like something in him had died, matching his ragged and weathered clothing. Regardless, he wasn't to be underestimated or looked down upon. Despite his appearance, he irradiated an air of conviction and strength. He was the headmaster of Shade Academy,

"Well, let's get straight to the chase. I recognize one of you, but the other three are strangers. I'm not very comfortable to know three kids that can wipe out grimm faster than several veteran huntsmen. Not to mention the potential connection between you all and the titan thing. Simply put, where did you come from?"

" _Not even a thanks huh?_ " Weiss frowned, having exhausted too much energy to care. "We're just students from Beacon."

"You're obviously more than 'just students'. I've seen one of the broadcasts from the festival. Not to mention, if my students are incapable of what you did, Ozpin's definitely aren't either."

Ruby flinched at his remark, hiding a clenched fist behind her back. "It doesn't matter if you know who we are or not." she had suddenly declared, "We just came here to find someone. We won't give you any trouble, and you probably have a lot already." by the time she had finished, she noticed that the entire room was focused on her. Weiss, Ana, the headmaster, and even Madara were silently staring at her with varying looks of surprise.

The first sound to follow and break the silence was a clap, a single clap courtesy of the headmaster.

"Well, I'll give you points for trying," He said, slowly applauding the girl. "but it needs a lot of work before it's anything close to whoever you're trying to imitate. Next time, a little more strength in your tone. Confidence can go a long way," His clapping ceased, his eyes began to move from person to person, stopping on Madara and sighing heavily. "Well, alright then. I have one last question for all of you How much do I need to pay you to do what you did again?"

"Explain." Madara interjected, lowering his crossed arms to his sides.

"According to some scouts: another horde will be at our northern doorstep. The size is estimated to be two or three times as large. At the speed they're going now, they'll arrive somewhere around noon tomorrow. I know that none of you are huntsmen yet, but I'll still hire you, and at the rate of an actual huntsman."

"Well, Headmaster, what about paying us for what we did already. There was a lot of Grimm there too." Ana suggested, chuckling sarcastically.

"Since it wasn't an assigned mission, I'll consider what you've done this far as volunteer work Please, Anastasia. You should know much better than that." he said, stifling a laugh. "So, lots of early experience _and_ pay. What do you all say?" he asked, smiling in an almost desperate manner.

"Considering the offer." He started, staring at the headmaster with a serious look. "It's denied. There are more important things here than the approaching Grimm, things that you are _actually_ asking us for."

The headmaster was taken aback by the boy's claim, yet his expression was anything but confused. After a moment of silence, he let out a relieved sigh and donned a content smile.

"I'm glad more people like you exist." The blond man said, standing up from his chair. The worry and fear vanished, yet his smile remained. "Seriously, there should be more with brains like yours, more people that can see reality. Ozpin's always gone on and on about how we should sit around and not face our enemy. Judging from you though, it looks like the man finally grew back his spine." the man said relieved.

"So the upcoming Grimm attack, it was just a test?" Weiss asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh no, that is still actually happening. I'd never lie about a Grimm attack." The headmaster answered, looking as serious as could be. "There're plenty of huntsmen who've already signed up for that job. Besides, I need as many knowledgeable hands as I can get. Yesterday was just a distraction to let the enemy sneak in. They'll use tomorrow to find what they're looking for. I'm sure you all know what that means."

Weiss looked down solemnly "The relic here—its maiden has been killed."

The headmaster began walking across the room. "We're not even at the most annoying part." he said, gesturing for the four to follow behind him into an elevator. As they entered, the door closed and their descent began. "I doubt that they know where the Vault actually is. Still, we can't just go searching around for them on the off chance they know. Same time though, putting everyone around the Vault would be a dead giveaway. See why i need some capable hands?"

"Madara and I are fast. We could patrol around while Weiss, you, and Ana stay hidden near the Vault." Ruby suggested.

"Not a bad idea, but not good enough for this. Y'see, when they first attacked Vale, it ended in failure. Vale's still standing. They're going to be more careful, send bigger guns to the places they haven't hit yet. Worst case scenario is that they send both of their maidens, and if they do, we need everybody together. Sure, you all might be capable, but two people with magic might just be too much."

Ruby and Weiss looked to Madara, and upon confirming a lack of concern, they turned to each other and nodded.

"Headmaster, exactly how strong is a single Maiden?." Weiss asked with a completely serious face.

"Hm, depends on how they grow up, really." The headmaster said, scratching his chin in thought. "Aside from the magic, they're just like everyone else. Spring probably isn't that tough, considering they ran away from their training. I've never met or heard of anything about Fall other than her defeat, so I can only hope she was weak. Summer was a tough kid, i made sure of that much. Winter… Yeah, let's just not talk about her." He said, ignoring a quiet growling sound from nearby.

The elevator continued to lower the four well beyond what should have been ground level. By the time the metal box actually began to slow to a halt, they must have been fifty meters below ground.

As the number above the door increase, Ruby looked to the girl beside her with a puzzled look. For reasons unknown, she couldn't help but stare blankly, yet she found herself also turning away before being noticed.

Without a sound, a light above the door lit up red, and the doors opened up. What awaited them was a massive bridge made of some kind of stone. A light blue stripe ran across the middle of the bridge, making multiple circular patterns as it approached a large orange-colored door. Behind the door was a large tree whose massive branches sported glowing green leaves. Many small bright red orbs hung from the branches, imitating some sort of fruit.

"Students of my colleague, Ana, this is what we'll be putting our lives on the line for." The Headmaster said, lighting a cigar while he looked at the monument unenthusiastically.

 **END**


	58. Chapter 58

Chapter 58

An army of Grimm larger than the one two days ago arrived at the kingdom's northern wall. In response to the threat, Shade Academy called upon as many local huntsmen as they could. Simultaneously, civilians were evacuated in case something were to go awry.

The assault on Vacuo had officially begun.

Normally, a single day wouldn't have been nearly enough to safely remove a large amount of citizens from their homes. However, such a feat was easily accomplished when Madara Uchiha was factored in. with a speed akin to teleportation, several dozens of bodies were moved in an instant.

With a combination of shadow clones and the transformation technique, he created a division for both defense and evacuation. However, he made sure to only create a small amount of them. Make too many, and he may not have enough chakra to keep hold over the Tailed Beasts while he fought. The more beasts he gathered, the more chakra he needed reserved.

Gathering around the door of the Vault of the Summer Maiden wasn't an option. Not only did it have to be protected, so did the school and its CCT. With the evacuation underway, the academy was mostly empty. Not only did that mean they had more privacy, but it also meant there was more space to keep watch of. Preventing anyone from entering the elevator, the only entrance to the Vault, was important, but so was preventing themselves from getting knocked unconscious.

If nothing else, they _did_ have _one_ advantage going for them. That advantage was Madara Uchiha. According to the boy: Salem was most likely aware of his existence, and to some extent his strength. Considering what he had done to the Fall Maiden in a matter of seconds, the Summer Maiden must have been told to be especially wary of him. His existence prevented any brash or hasty moves.

Unfortunately for everyone else, it also meant that nobody knew where he was. He told nobody where he went or where he hid himself—not even Weiss and Ruby. As such, nobody could rely on him to help them should they encounter trouble.

"Checking in, nothing on my side." Weiss spoke into her scroll.

"Nothing for me either, except a lot of trash people forgot to clean up." Ana responded.

"I see… nothing…" Ruby said in a dejected tone. "Hey guys, can someone remind me again why I'm the one standing at the elevator? Isn't the fact that Weiss covered the door in ice protection enough?"

"The ice makes it stick out already, so they're going to notice the moment they see it. Plus you're in the middle of the school. If Ana or I see an intruder, you can get to either of us quick." Weiss answered.

Ruby audibly groaned from the other end. "Okay…"

"Just remember to not let your guard down. If you see anything at all, you know what to do." Weiss said, hanging up the call.

She continued to patrol her area, keeping her eyes and ears open. She couldn't hear anything but the soft brushing wind. Nothing appeared out of the ordinary. Although ordinary wasn't applicable, since she'd never been inside the academy before now. At the very least, her danger sense wasn't giving off any alarms at current.

That quickly changed. As she rounded the corner, she saw movement. The very tip of a shadow moved quickly. It had to be deliberate. Neither of the other two girls should have been remotely near her. Ana was always on the opposite side of the building as her. As such, Weiss reached for her scroll again, inching forward with her rapier at the ready.

She arrived at the place she saw the shadow, finding herself in the middle of a short hallway. She saw nothing that could have cast the shadow. In fact, the hallway was a dead end with two closed doors.

In an instant, Weiss spun around and brought her sword up to her face. In doing so, she blocked a hard kick. Unfortunately with the suddenness of the attack, she was subsequently disarmed. On instinct, Weiss conjured a glyph in front of her, only for it to be shattered by an explosion a moment later.

She jumped back to see her attacker. A mask concealed their face completely. They had a small build and wore a brown coat that covered most of their body. As they dashed towards Weiss, their arms sprouted from the cloak, revealing themselves to be covered in fire.

Weiss managed to dodge each of the attempted strikes. At the same time, she was able to maintain, or at least not lose, her ground. Her opponents hand and footwork was better than almost anyone she'd fought before, keyword being almost. It was still far below Madara's level. She saw the inflamed punches as if they moved through water and she could just barely keep up.

" _Need to tell the others._ " Weiss scowled at the attacker.

In the same breath, the heiress jumped back as far as she could while also placing a Glyph beneath her masked enemy that sent them flying back. However, the attacker immediately recovered and continued to fight.

She was without her sword, without a way to impede her enemy, and without time to call for help. She also probably had less stamina compared to her opponent.

Suddenly, an idea came to mind.

Weiss concentrated, creating a Glyph beneath herself instead of her enemy. It followed her as she evaded. Looking as if she was encasing herself in ice, the attacker hesitated. Suddenly, the ice molded in Weiss' shape lunged for its enemy, separating itself from its creator. A crystalline doppelganger identical to Weiss, but still holding its own weapon.

" _It's been awhile since I summoned._ " Weiss positively sighed, tired from exhaustion. She quickly pulled out her scroll, but before she could call for help, she found her hand engulfed in fire. She yelped, letting go of the device and letting it fall to the ground. She looked towards the pyromaniac, seeing that her animate sculpture had been destroyed. The masked figure had one hand stuck out towards her before readjusting their aim.

They fired another blast of fire from their hand, and Weiss responded with a wall of light blue ice. With a much larger amount of aura used to compose this new wall, it lasted much longer against the constant fiery assault.

Using her bought time, Weiss took out her scroll one more time, pressing down on a button. It sent out a signal, one inaudible to humans and faunus. Upon doing so, she felt something tapping her shoulder.

"Huh?" Weiss spun around, only to feel a sharp pain in her stomach. What little aura she had left was shattered, allowing the attack to force the wind from her lungs.

Weiss was sent sprawling onto the floor, struggling to catch her breath as she looked up. A man stood over her. He had black hair held in a short ponytail, and wore white clothes. Bladed weapons were attached to each of his forearms, but neither seemed active. He crouched down to look Weiss in the eyes.

"Little girl, please excuse the surprise. Although, you _were_ the first to add a second participant, so there is no reason we couldn't have responded in kind." he said, grinning maniacally. Suddenly, his smile flipped into a disappointed frown. "As much as I'd like to kill you, her grace would be displeased by unnecessary actions. As such, we will allow you to live. Do be sure not to get in our way any further."

Behind the man, Weiss saw the ice melt, and the masked figure walked through the puddle.

"Tyrian, hurry up. Knock her out or take her out." They said, revealing a feminine voice

The newly named Tyrian stood back up. To part ways, he gave a swift kick to her face, leaving her behind.

* * *

"Ana, you got the signal right?!" Ruby shouted into her scroll.

"Yeah, what's her status on your scroll?" Ana responded.

Ruby checked her team's status window. Weiss' aura meter was completely empty, but her vitals were untouched. She breathed a sigh of relief.

"Her aura's gone and she's unconscious, but she's still alive."

"Then they're probably going with what Madara and the Headmaster predicted. You know what that means. Stay where you are, I'm heading to you now." Ana said before hanging up.

Ruby continued to stare at her scroll, unintentionally squeezing hard. Waiting idly by felt like torture, now more than ever. Weiss was in danger, and she was standing around doing nothing about it.

She didn't have to sit with her thoughts for any longer. In the corner of her eye, she caught a faint metallic glimmer. In the same moment, she sidestepped and avoided a bullet that would've hit her leg. She looked towards the direction she was shot at, to see a pair running towards her.

" _It was them!_ " Ruby said to herself, positioning her scythe behind her and firing a bullet.

She shot herself towards the two, aiming a swing for Tyrian in particular. In response, he blocked using his arm-mounted blades. The impact caused him to skid back, but he remained on his feet.

"Well, not the talkative type are you. How unfortunate." He said before grabbing ahold of Crescent Rose. He pulled the weapon towards him, bringing Ruby close enough to deliver a hard kick. Her aura absorbed the hit, but she was from thereon disarmed. "I will never understand why anyone uses a scythe. Such a terribly inefficient weapon." he shrugged, shaking his head.

"Hey! Don't insult my Crescent Rose. I built her with my own sweat and tears!" Ruby shouted in protest. She started gathering electricity into her hands, building up as much as she could and charging again. She swiped at the man who insulted her work, but was unable to land a solid hit. All the while, he ogled her technique.

He suddenly jumped back, using The masked figure as his cover. "Huh, I could be wrong, but that looks eerily similar to magic. If that's the case, then you must be the winter maiden."

"What? N-no, I'm not a maiden." Ruby responded, shaking the static out of her hands.

"If she is, you know what to do." Juliet responded, taking out and handing over a white glove to the man.

Both of her hands suddenly became engulfed in flames, and she launched a volley of fireballs in Ruby's direction. With the Rinnegan and her own speed, Ruby was easily able to evade all of the projectiles. However when she realized what sat behind her: the elevator, she realized her opponent's main goal. The barrier couldn't take many more hits, but Ruby couldn't either. Even worse, to retrieve her weapon was to give her enemy an opening.

" _No, i'll take both of them myself._ " Ruby charged not just her hands, but her entire body was covered in sparks and static.

"Let's resume." Juliet said.

Simultaneously, the two started running towards Ruby. Tyrian was first to make contact and while he had engaged, the other tried to pass by. Ruby moved to intercept, just barely dodging a salvo from Tyrian's weapons. Doing so, Ruby took a searing punch to the back of the head. She spun around and kicked, but hit only air.

Ruby looked towards her scythe that laid on the ground. It wasn't too far from her, but she couldn't find an opening. She jumped away, turning to face the both of them with her arms together. If she could hit one with a bolt of lightning, it would also hit the other. However, when she took aim, only Tyrian was present. The elevator door had a large charred hole.

"Too bad for you." Tyrian cackled at Ruby, stopping his pursuit as if offering her the next move.

"No, to bad for you." Ruby replied, dashing towards and picking up Crescent Rose.

Abruptly, Tyrian stood up straight, casually scratching his head. "You know, we don't _have_ to fight each other."

"What?!" Ruby stared dumbfounded. "You people are working for Salem, and she's killing people."

"A necessary cost of her holy crusade. You are young, so I don't blame you for now knowing, but I can assure you that her grace's intentions are righteous. How could our savior _not_ be of the purest mind?"

"You're insane." Ruby commented, gripping Crescent Rose more tightly

"Hm, I may have a crude exterior, but I am of clear mind. I wonder if the same can be said about you, or the people who lead you… no matter." He returned to a combat stance. "I see that we won't be able to reach an agreement here. Let's get this over with."

* * *

Using the actual elevator was pointless. No, it was a waste of time. The descent was far too slow. A much faster method would be to just jump down the shaft. Fortunately, thanks to the power of flight permitted to those possessing magic, such a stunt could be performed safely.

Juliet descended rapidly, but slowed down as she neared the ground. After touching down, she blasted another hole through the bottom door, and walked into the corridor of the Vault.

She took a few steps in, before freezing still. She heard nothing from the incredibly large room. She saw no movement. Even so, she couldn't help but feel that something else was present. Without even thinking, she dove forward, avoiding a dozen falling kunai. In retaliation, she slung a wave of fire towards the ceiling, and watched as the flame exploded into hot steam.

From the cloud, a volley of fireballs came, all flying towards her. She launched a gust of wind, hoping to snuff out the flames. Unfortunately, they had the opposite effect. The fires seemed to eat away at the wind, growing even larger. Rather than producing another element, she moved to escape the oncoming assault.

She ran further onto the strip, the large fireballs exploding behind her with great force. Looking back, she saw Madara running towards her at extreme speed. In an instant, he had caught up to her and attacked.

Juliet stopped and raised her arms up, blocking Madara's kick. She was thrown back, but remained standing and countered. Madara caught her fist and threw her to the opposite side. As she landed, he made a hand seal.

"Doton: Iwadeppō no Jutsu"

Madara spat out hand-sized rock shards towards Juliet. The stones flying as fast as bullets did. She had dodged all but one which managed to collide with her mask, causing it to shatter into pieces and fall to the ground.

"This one's _different from the Fall Maiden._ " Madara thought.

"You're strong, too strong to be some regular huntsmen." Juliet remarked. "Am I talking to Ozpin, or the kid whose body he stole?"

"What?" Madara raised an eyebrow.

"If you're not him, then he's gotta be in there somewhere. He's the only guy who can use magic." She said, before shaking her head. "Whatever, I have to kill you either way. Don't take it personal." her eyes were suddenly covered by fiery lenses, the same kind that the Fall Maiden had except a dark orange instead.

The fight changed from the use of the elements to use of their bodies. She dodged as many of his punches and kicks as she could. For the ones that couldn't be evaded, she matched blow for blow. Her body was significantly smaller in size, but she compensated with a technique he hadn't seen before. Every time her hands or feet made contact, he felt a small explosion coming from her.

Equally as peculiar to him was her movements. She didn't act as if her aura would protect her or dampen any received damage. She moved as if any and all of his attacks were individually fatal. Rather than huntsmen, humans trained to kill Grimm, he was fighting someone who killed humans.

A certain feeling started to build, one he hadn't felt for a very long time. Even now, it was a far cry from his older days, but was still a step above his more recent experiences. Without even realizing it, his lips started to curve up slightly.

 **END**


	59. Chapter 59

Chapter 59

At most, Ruby had been fighting Tyrian for a minute. Unfortunately, the only damage was to the walls, ceiling, and ground. There were large gashes and bullet holes of varying size everywhere, all caused by Ruby's lightning-charged scythe and Tyrian's wrist mounted weapons.

Ruby had been able to strike Tyrian multiple times. All of which were blocked, but she made contact nonetheless. Fortunately, Ruby also managed to keep herself from being harmed. Using her incredible speed to dodge wasn't viable, given their enclosed surroundings, but she was able to use Crescent Rose to block most of Tyrian's attacks. For the past two minutes, their fight was a stalemate.

As Ruby slashed at Tyrian again, he just barely avoided and countered. He fired on Ruby, prompting her to withdraw and maneuver away. She had luckily not been hit by any of the bullets.

" _There's nothing to work with!_ " Ruby shouted at herself in frustration. Her eyes repeatedly scanned Tyrian for any possible weakness, anything she could take advantage of, but she couldn't find any. " _I gotta figure something out. Something that'll throw him off._ "

Suddenly the ground started shaking violently. The stone floor cracked and broke apart. The rumbling was enough that Ruby lost balance. Fortunately, it did the same to her enemy. Tyrian also lost his footing and slipped.

Ruby grinned excitedly at what fate presented her with. She hurriedly pointed the barrel of her scythe behind and fired. In an instant, she was in front of Tyrian with her arms wound back. Both of his arms were on the ground, and he wouldn't be able to safely guard.

" _You're mine!_ " Ruby swung the blade into Tyrian.

Suddenly, the unexpected happened. Something from behind his back shot up to intercept the scythe. It was a long and thin tail; and had a black scorpion stinger on the end. In a stunning display of strength, The tail managed absorb the scythe's swing. However, as a result, his aura was shattered and the tip of the blade pierced through the stinger.

Blood splattered as the scythe nailed the stinger into the wall, ripping it from the tail it was attached to. Tyrian let out a shrill cry, crawling away from Ruby while he held his tail. Seeing the purple colored blood on her scythe and hands, Ruby couldn't move, yet she was also shaking. She felt unusually warm, as if a large fire was nearby.

Using the opportunity, Tyrian managed to stop the bleeding and stand back up. He dragged himself towards Ruby, practically limping.

" _C'mon Ruby move!_ " Ruby screamed to herself, yet she couldn't do anything more than shake.

With an enraged scowl, Tyrian reeled back his arm, but just before his arm-mounted blades could make contact, Ruby heard a weird noise. It sounded like the noise that Weiss' Glyphs made when they created bodies of ice. The familiarity was enough to break Ruby out of her daze. When she looked at Tyrian, she saw that most of his body was trapped and skewered on dozens of white icicles.

"Weiss?!" Ruby called out with a positively surprised look. She looked past Tyrian to see a long trail of icicles sticking out of the ground.

"Do it now!"

Without hesitation, Ruby pulled her scythe out of the wall. The head suddenly flipped upwards, taking the form of a War Scythe. She closed her eyes shut and fired, sending the electrified blade directly into Tyrian's neck. Like a hot knife through butter, the blade met no resistance in its path. Though her eyes were closed, she could hear the sound of something hitting the floor hard.

She dared not look down at her handiwork, instead turning her head towards the sound of incoming footsteps.

Ruby sighed exhaustedly, but smiled. "Thanks for the help Weiss-" Ruby abruptly stopped talking, her eyes widening as she discovered that her partner was not the one that saved her. Though their hair and eye colors were the same, Weiss' hair was always in a ponytail, her eyes weren't covered in white fire, and her hands didn't glow.

. "Who… are you?" Ruby asked.

The girl scratched her head sheepishly, laughing to herself. "Well, I said I was coming to help."

Ruby blinked repeatedly, her mouth slightly agape. "Oh… so is that your _actual_ true form?"

"Yeah."

* * *

Beneath Vacuo's Haven Academy, another fight was still underway. It was a fight that hadn't been seen on the face of Remnant in many millennia.

Punches and kicks were traded instead of weapons and bullets. The elements that composed the world itself was being tossed around like toys. Dust played no part in their clash. Even so, the large tree behind the Vault Door was half destroyed: its beautiful leaves and branches eaten by the fire the two created. Large sections of the bridge was destroyed, covered in craters and fractures.

Surprisingly enough, the Vault Door, despite the damage around it, didn't even have a scratch on it. It was a good thing too, since if not for its durability, it would have been destroyed long ago.

Madara held the advantage, plain and simple. His ninjutsu was stronger than her magic; he was physically stronger and could hit harder; he was faster and more agile; his perception and awareness surpassed hers. Yet even though he had every means of overpowering her, something seemed to be impeding him.

Nonetheless he continued to put pressure on her. There was only so much land left, and there was only so much she could take.

"Suiton: Suiryūdan no Jutsu"

A serpent-like dragon made completely out of water burst from Madara's mouth. Against a Water Release Jutsu, Earth Release would have been the most effective, as it was the natural counter. However, Juliet chose to use wind. It was enough to redirect the dragon's flight path, but not completely. The dragon slammed into her arm, breaking it on contact.

Juliet winced in pain, but gritted her teeth and endured. In retaliation, she tossed multiple shards of ice towards Madara. One of the shards managed to clip his shoulder plate, causing it to freeze completely. He quickly removed and threw it aside, staring at her condescendingly.

Juliet stopped in her tracks, catching her breath as she held her broken arm. "I can't kill you… I don't get it. Ozpin wouldn't ever do what you do. If he's not even in there, who are you?" she asked, furrowing her brow.

"Why do you think I'm Ozpin, and what do you mean bodies?" Madara countered.

"What?" Juliet's eyes widened with disbelief. "How do you not know this? Did Ozpin just tell you to guard a vault, and nothing else, and you just listened?"

"I'm here for myself, not Ozpin." Madara answered back. "I'm not going to ask again. What did you mean by 'bodies'?" He could still see the wariness in her face, and acted accordingly. His Sharingan deactivated and he assumed more relaxed posture.

Juliet continued to observe madara. The fiery lenses that covered her eyes dissipated. In an instant, she had torn off part of her cloak and fashioned it into a sling for her arm. Still, Madara didn't move, prompting her to exhale relieved.

Her scorn softened ever so slightly, but a look of unease came over her. "How do I even explain this?" She muttered to herself, before clearing her throat. "If you really don't know, Ozpin can take over people's bodies. Whenever he dies, he just comes back and takes over some poor unlucky sap."

" _That's… no, it's not reincarnation. It's more like possession. It activates when he is near death. Convenient._ " Madara thought. "So then, that's why you thought I was him."

"And now I'm certain you're not. So then who are you, why do _you_ want the relic?"

"I don't." Madara answered, causing Juliet to recoil. "I don't need or want the Relic of Destruction, and I have my own reasons for being here. One of which being: letting Salem obtain the relic isn't an option either. So I'll at least keep it away from her hands." Madara answered.

"Then you're the evil one." Juliet spat.

"Leave now, or you'll die." Madara said, his eyes turning red once more.

She didn't have to say anything; her expression was more than enough for a response. She hadn't the slightest intention of running away. Suddenly, she noticed that her broken arm was starting to turn black. It was obviously unnatural, and identical to what happened to the Fall Maiden. Once the black had covered her entire body, she would disappear. More surprisingly was the scorn on her face, as if it wasn't voluntary.

Juliet shook her head, reaffixing her gaze on Madara. The lenses came back over her eyes. She held out her working hand like a spear head, and a translucent blade took shape. In response, Madara took out a single kunai from his pocket.

The girl charged towards Madara, using flight to increase her speed to its maximum. The black expanded faster and faster. Madara stood at the ready, waiting for the right moment. She came closer and closer, her silver eyes glimmered faintly. When she was close enough, Juliet thrust her hand at Madara.

He didn't dodge. Madara instead raised up a hand to intercept the attack.

She blade tore through his hand, splashing blood on him. To her surprise, he endured and caught the hand that created the blade. No sooner did he pull her to the ground, pinning her and raising the kunai up. In the same motion, he plunged the blade into her back, piercing her heart from behind.

The black stopped growing, regressing and dissolving without a trace. The blade on her hand dispersed and she went limp. She gave no final words, and he said nothing to her either. Silence had been restored to the vault; for only a brief moment. There were two more people who jumped down the elevator and arrived in front of Madara. At the same time, Juliet's body suddenly began to spasm. It shook violently like it was being electrocuted, before a ghost-like sphere of orange energy erupted from her. It flew past Ruby and the white haired girl, escaping through the elevator shaft without pause.

Madara stood back up as the two ran to meet him, using medical ninjutsu to repair the hole in his hand.

"Hey Madara, guess who I found." Ruby said, smiling excitedly.

Madara looked at the white haired girl beside Ruby, his sharingan dimming and turning black. He then noticed the giddy expression on Ruby's face. "Jacqueline Hail; the Winter Maiden?"

"Yep!" Ruby answered proudly. Unfortunately, her smile soon fell as her eyes laid upon the body behind him. "Oh, you killed her."

"Of course." Madara answered nonchalauntly. "Now then. Find Weiss while I notify the headmaster. After that's settled, we'll be leaving immediately for Atlas."

"You don't waste a second, do you." Jacqueline asked sarcastically, crossing her arms.

Madara chuckled, walking past both of the two. "I do, much more than you think and much more than I should… Ana."

The girls flinched, looking at Madara and back at each other in surprise.

"D-how long did he know?!" Ruby whispered, pointing at the Uchiha.

"I don't know. I should be asking you! You're his little sister!" She quietly shouted back.

"Uh, maybe it was in the desert. You know, when you made that huge blue ice barrier."

"I didn't make that." Jacqueline held up a hand, creating a white snowflake in her palm. "I don't use these powers nearly enough to make something sturdy like that."

Ruby's face started with confusion, before quickly transitioning to surprise and pride. She grinned widely at what Jacqueline said, her hands shaking with excitement. She quickly calmed down after realizing she still needed to respond. "Then maybe it was that time when we saw Luna again."

Jacqueline sighed defeated. "Well, I'll just ask him later or something. Let's go find Weiss and wake her up."

"Have fun explaining your new look. Madara and I definitely aren't doing it." Ruby snickered, much to the maiden's dismay.

* * *

Salem sat alone at the end of the long table. She was like a statue. And still like a statue, she stared at the door waiting for it to open. Eventually, those massive doors were pushed in; Dr. Watts, Hazel, and Cinder walked in. Of them, Cinder held a lamp-like object, ornate and made mostly of gold. Its presence caused Salem to smile.

The three bowed to Salem, and with a wave of her hand, they sat down in the empty chairs.

"So, you were successful with the Spring Maiden?" Salem asked.

"Well, as of now, the title of 'Spring Maiden' belongs to Cinder." Dr. Watts responded, gesturing towards Cinder. "Things became complicated after negotiations broke down, but we were fortunate enough to catch them off guard anyways." as he spoke, Salem rose one of her hands off of the table, gesturing for the lamp.

Several black hands rose from the ground, taking the ornament from Cinder's hands and carrying it towards Salem.

Salem smiled contentedly, grabbing hold of the lamp. "You have all done well. With this relic, all setbacks thus far mean nothing. Ozpin can no longer do anything to stop us."

"That is quite a relief. On another note, when will Juliet and Tyrian be returning to us?" Dr. Watts asked.

"They won't be." Salem answered solemnly.

"I… I see. Then, is Vacuo's relic lost to us?"

"Not at all. Thanks to your efforts, everything is within our reach… Jinn."

Upon Salem's call, a quiet ring resounded in the room. She let go of the lamp, but it didn't fall. Instead it remained airborne, and floated to the center of the table. Suddenly, blue smoke leaked out from the lamp. The smoke gathered like a cloud, before drastically changing shape into a woman. She was large—larger than any human. Her skin was a bright blue, but her hair was a shade darker. Her body was adorned with numerous golden jewelry.

Like the lamp that she spawned from, the woman herself floated high above the table. With a bored expression, she looked at Cinder, Hazel, and Dr. Watts. When she saw Salem, her eyes widened with surprise.

"Well, it looks like we finally meet, O'Queen." the woman said, smiling.

"M-my word. What is that?!" Dr. Watts asked..

"This is the being that resides in the Relic of knowledge: Jinn." Salem answered.

"And I will answer any three questions regarding past and present. Anything you want to know, except for the future, I can tell with complete detail. So then, what have you called on me to know?"

"Is it possible to obtain the Relic of Creation with our current circumstances at this moment."

Jinn shifted her position, taking a look at all of the people that were present. She leaned against one of her arms. "Well, not through _your_ power." She said, pointing at Salem. "But your allies, sure. You'd just have to find the Winter Maiden and get her to open the vault. The only other way would be to bring the vault here."

Dr. Watts scoffed at the idea. "Infiltrate a floating fortress and then fly it across the ocean? That must be a joke-"

"Silence." Salem demanded, instantly shutting the man up "Please continue."

"It's entirely possible to bring the island here, but it would be by no means an easy feat. Of course, nothing about your ambitions would really be considered easy, immortal or not. Two questions left."

"Will the desires of my colleagues, both alive and deceased, be fulfilled when I am successful?" Salem asked.

"Certainly. One question left."

Salem leaned back in her chair, tensing up as if bracing herself. Noticing this, the other three did the same. "The one who stands in our way. Tell me, who _is_ Madara Uchiha?"

 **END**


	60. Chapter 60

**RinneItachi- I actually had an idea for how the relic of knowledge would be used long before Volume 6 came out. I just kinda used jinn's design, not so much the function. Basically anyone can use the Relic but only 3 times in their lifetimes.**

 **A.N. Whoops sorry everyone. Forgot I was supposed to upload the chapter a week ago.**

Chapter 60

All things considered, it was a good day. The assault north of Vacuo had calmed, and the horde was successfully subdued. Although there were certainly casualties, the lives saved vastly outnumbered the lives lost. More impressively was that the subjugation of the Grimm horde took only a single day.

As a show of gratitude to the brave men and women that fought to protect the kingdom, a celebration was in order. Paid for but not hosted by Shade Academy was a massive week-long party. It was a multi-layered decision. First was to diffuse the tension in the kingdom and raise morale. Second was to draw people away from the school campus to make repairs. And finally the third, to give thanks to the huntsmen's and huntress' efforts.

Of course, there were plenty of people who weren't partaking on the first day. Those people included the secret defenders of Vacuo.

The door to a hotel room opened, and in walked Weiss with multiple large bags on her arms. She looked across the room, where Ruby sat on the ground. Red electricity was sparking in her hands, growing and shrinking on mental command. Despite facing Weiss, Ruby didn't seem to have noticed her yet.

Weiss shrugged as she took off her shoes, put down her things, and stepped closer. "Well, you're certainly hard at work." she said, smirking.

"Huh?!" Startled, Ruby nearly jumped. The electricity jumping out and pushing her to the ground. Weiss couldn't help but laugh as Ruby laid on the floor, breathing frantically.

"H-hey Weiss..." Ruby said as she tried to catch her breath. "Welcome back."

"Thanks. Still working on your electricity thing?"

"Mhm. I have a few ideas I wanna try out. Watch this," Ruby held her breath and raised one of her hands, squeezing her wrist with the other. After spreading out her fingers red electricity spawned across her entire forearm, gathering at the palm of her hand. The links of electricity gathered together, and after a few seconds, created a white and red sphere. More interestingly was the fact that the electricity wasn't jumping out. It kept its shape almost perfectly.

"So, it's an electric ball?" Weiss raised an eyebrow. "I mean, it's pretty impressive, but what do you do with it?"

Ruby exhaled, and the sphere dispersed into the air. "I had an idea while you went out shopping. What if I could make things out of electricity? Like those hard-light shields, but as weapons. That'd be cool right? The ball is just the first step. Next, I'm thinking about trying to make other shapes."

Weiss stared surprised at Ruby, blinking multiple times before responding. "S-sorry, I just wasn't expecting… for you of all people to suggest _not_ sticking with your weapon."

Ruby looked away, as if embarrassed. "When I was fighting those people, I was disarmed, and I was completely useless. Then even after I got Crescent Rose back, I could barely do anything. I… realized that I need to make a lot of adjustments."

"I see." Weiss muttered, looking away and at her own rapier. "Sorry I wasn't much of a help I got caught off guard."

"No, it's fine." Ruby waved her hand dismissively. "At the end of the day we won, and everyone's partying safe and sound now."

"Speaking of, did you hear what some people were saying?" Weiss asked with a wry smile. "Apparently, the 'Azure Titan' reappeared at the northern wall. Some religious guys are calling it a Guardian Spirit."

Ruby stifled a laugh, but couldn't hold it in completely. "Just imagine their faces if they knew the truth…actually I bet it'd be like yours when you saw Ana in her real form. I was scared your jaw broke on the floor!"

Weiss flinched, crossing her arms defensively. "I-that was different."

"She showed it to us before then already though." Ruby snickered.

Weiss sighed, waiting for her partner to calm and recollect herself. Her serious stare gradually softened, as she looked away from Ruby. "Back on Madara… I'm starting to get concerned."

Ruby looked confused at Weiss, raising an eyebrow. "What's there to worry about with him? Other than not being good with real conversations."

"How long has it been since he's slept?"

"I dunno… a week?"

"At least two. He's always awake. It's actually unnerving. He _is_ still a human right? He's gonna drop at some point, and I'm not looking forward to that."

"Me neither, but what are we supposed to do?"

Weiss stood back up, looking at the room door. "I'm going to try and talk to him. Another day or two here won't hurt."

"Okay, but before you do, can you make some ice?" Ruby asked, pointing at the floor between their beds.

Weiss already had her hand on the door as she raised her other hand. A Glyph appeared at Ruby's requested location, and there was ice as she asked for. However as she opened the door and was about to walk out, Ruby suddenly exclaimed. Weiss quickly shut the door and turned around to see what startled Ruby.

"What? What's wrong?!" Weiss asked, hurrying to Ruby.

The younger girl was smiling, holding the cube of ice. "L-look! It's blue!"

Just as Ruby said, the block of ice in her hands was completely blue. Doubtfully, Weiss tried to brighten the room, but the block was very clearly a deep blue. The heiress stared in disbelief, her mouth agape at her accomplishment.

"I… no… how did I…?" Weiss muttered to herself.

"Wow. I thought you couldn't make ice this blue." Ruby said, smiling proudly at her friend.

"I-I didn't mean to. I wasn't even thinking about it when I made that." Weiss replied, averting her eyes.

"Try doing it again. Make something bigger, like a giant flower or something." Ruby eagerly suggested.

Weiss glanced back at the door "Maybe not. I still want to talk to him."

"Yeah but that can wait. It's not like he's sleeping any time soon right? C'mon, I've been alone all afternoon and you've been walking around a lot."

Weiss hesitated, but couldn't resist Ruby's hopeful look. After some time of Ruby's best begging face, Reluctantly, she sighed and nodded. "Alright, why not."

* * *

Meanwhile, far from the festivities, Madara was alone at the top of a large building. With his back on the roof, he stared at the moon. The shattered pieces were the same as they had always been for over a decade. Even now, with everything that has been set into motion, it remained unchanged.

" _The Relic of Creation… there's no telling its limit. If Destruction can't take life, would an eye count as life? Even if not, there's no certainty it will be powerful enough to replicate a rinnegan._ _Although if it won't, then I'll just need a prosthetic eye for-_ "

"Planning to steal again?" Madara suddenly flinched as he heard the voice of the Eight Tailed Beast inside of him.

"Gonna hurt another little girl?" he heard another voice; unlike the smoothness in the Eight Tails, it was hoarse. Yet it was also livelier than the One Tail . "Killing your enemy is one thing, but to hurt your own isn't right… Or does it only take a few decades to forget that?"

One by one, he and his focus were assaulted. Four different and distinct voices, personalities, had chimed in to give their own two cents. The four Tailed Beasts he had gathered chose now, of all times, to ridicule the Uchiha. Madara nonetheless endured underneath the barrage of remarks.

"Enough." Madara demanded, bringing pause to the constant chattering. "Why did you all decide to start talking?"

There was a brief silence, as if the chakra beasts had nothing more to say, before the Eight Tails cleared its throat. "There's nothing to do while we wait for another chance. Even we get bored after watching these fights, and we can only sleep for so long."

"If you want things done faster, stay out of our way." Madara said in a flat tone.

The Eight Tails scoffed at Madara. "And then what? You won't get any help from us to attain Six Paths Senjutsu Chakra. We may be trapped here, but we won't let you activate the Infinite Tsukuyomi in another world."

"There's no need. I only care about returning to our world."

"And what about the chakra here?" Madara's eye twitched, confirming the beast's claim and prompting it to continue. "The kid with Wukong in her, the others still hiding, those sisters. Obviously Wukong's kid is dead, but what are you going to do about your little 'sisters'?"

"I'll extract their chakra, obviously."

"And how will you do that?"

"..." Madara lowered his head, looking down from the moon and at the celebration happening in the distance. His lips curved down, but remained sealed.

"The one who activated the Infinite Tsukuyomi, rivalled the God of Shinobi, and became the third Sage of Six Paths. You're telling me _that_ person doesn't know how to do something? Are you really the same person?" It, and two other of the beasts laughed.

Shukaku cackled, "It's embarrassing, that this is what beat me."

"Would you three quit it?!" The higher pitched Six Tails demanded.

"Why do you care? You're in the same boat as us!" the Tanuki shouted back.

"Because Gyuki is right." It replied, causing the others to stop laughing. In fact, Madara felt their four consciousnesses fading away, like they were returning to dormancy. He was alone once more.

"Five more remaining." Madara stood up, activating his sharingan as he walked towards the cliff. " _Next is Luna. It'll be fine._ " he thought as he stepped off the roof.

As he fell towards the ground, he felt a buzzing from his scroll. He looked at it, finding that he was sent a group message.

"We're coming," the message read, with a smiley face at the end. The sender was none other than the pair that they left behind. Madara sighed to himself.

"Speak of the devil huh?"

* * *

A question was posed to the Avatar of the Relic of Knowledge, and so that question must be answered fully and completely. Simple words were not enough to answer the question. Rather, the information needed to be shown as well. Cinder, Hazel, Dr. Watts, and Salem were all transported to a fabricated world, a world in which they would learn "Who is Madara Uchiha".

Everyone's vision went white. Rather, the world itself seemed to melt away, leaving a purely white void. In moments, a blue mist appeared out of nowhere, rapidly constructing an entire landscape beneath their very feet.

"Incredible. It's like a hologram. No, it's like what Mark 1 was capable of, but to a far greater degree." Watts commented, barely able to contain his admiration.

"Where are we?" Hazel asked as he looked around himself, staring concerned at the large plumes of smoke in the sky..

The buildings around them were utterly destroyed. The land was covered in craters and irreparable scars. It looked something akin to the great war eighty years ago, but there were no Grimm.

As they got just began to get acquainted, Jinn began her explanation. "A very, _very_ long time ago in a land far beyond reach, there was a time where life was but a candle fire; where war was constant and death even more so. This time was known as the Warring States. Countries were small, and like children, all they could do was fight against each other. In order to fight, these countries hired the Shinobi: talented warriors, each more than comparable to veteran huntsmen, from hundreds of different clans. But amongst all of them, the many possible choices, there were two in particular that stood above all others,"

Right in front of the four, two men appeared. Both had swords in their hands, clashing with one another. One wore dark red plate armor, and a white bandanna around their head. The other had no armor, but had a red and white fan-like insignia on their back.

"They were the Senju and the Uchiha; The most recognized and powerful warriors in the entire world. Unsurprisingly, they were often called to fight against each other."

The armorless man abruptly jumped back, as pillars of wood suddenly shot at him from the ground. In response, he released a massive flame from his mouth. The other man escaped, but the entire area was scorched.

"It's him." Cinder scorned and pointed to the armorless a shaking finger.

"Madara Uchiha and Hashirama Senju, the leaders of their respective clans, and the most powerful shinobi in the world. It was also because of them that the warring states could finally come to an end."

The landscape changed again, the battle clearing having concluded. The two men were still present, but Madara laid on the ground and Hashirama stood above him. Madara told his rival that in order to achieve peace, Hashirama had to kill either his brother, or himself. Without hesitation, Hashirama thrusted a kunai into himself, but was stopped by Madara.

The scenery shifted to a much more peaceful place: the road of a relatively primitive street. All around, people were smiling, whether they were selling food, building houses, or just walking around.

"Finally, the dream they both shared as kids became a reality. They had created a nation of their own, where lasting peace was possible, and brought an end to the Warring States Period. Though others had been created in its wake, it remained the most powerful of them all. However that peace had only lasted for so long. Madara Uchiha discovered that one day, his own people would perish, yet nobody believed him. Furthermore, he learned of a way to attain true, unending peace."

The blue mist returned to take the peaceful village away, and replaced it with a desert wasteland. Madara Uchiha stood alone, wearing similar armor to what Hashirama wore during the Warring States period. What was in front of him caused Cinder, Hazel, and Dr. watts to shudder with surprise.

Madara alone easily tore through thousands of armed and trained Shinobi. Not a single person could stand against him. A massive flood was needed just to counter a single fireball. He manifested a large ethereal blue body to kill hundreds. All of it was nothing compared to the meteorites he subsequently dropped on them, killing almost everyone all at once.

"T-that many hunts-Shinobi… all wiped out with a single move." Dr. Watts stuttered out.

"He had cheated death, created an army, killed thousands, captured nine powerful multi-tailed monsters, and united the entire world against himself; all to achieve what he knew was world peace. Eventually, he had succeeded."

The desert of corpses disappeared, and so had the sun itself. Night had fallen and in the middle of an enormous crater, Madara Uchiha was once again present, but sporting a drastically different look. His skin and hair were incredibly pale, almost white. His eyes were purple with a ripple-like pattern. Alone, he fought against two people, one covered in a bright yellow aura, the other with a similarly purple eyes. And after an intense battle, he had slain the two. A short distance away, a man half-covered in black gave an applause.

"However, it was all for naught. Madara, for all his strength and cleverness, was also a puppet on strings. He was tricked by the one being he trusted. He nearly triumphed, but they were able to divide his powers, and banish him from his world."

Everything changed one last time, and Madara was but a child. He held up a sword against three Beowolves, defending a pair of young girls from them.

"Then, he was known as one of the most powerful, dangerous, and evil existences who rejected the world itself in his quest. Now an alien to you better known as the Azure Titan. _That_ is Madara Uchiha."

Before they knew it, the four were back in their conference room. Jinn disappeared and the lamp laid in front of Salem.

"T-that can't be true. Nothing like that could-should exist here." Dr. watts trembled in his seat, looking desperately at Salem. "If something like that… what hope do we have against him?"

"Calm down Arthur." Cinder said smugly. "Jinn had just said his power has been divided. He shouldn't be nearly as powerful now than he was. Which means it's an opportunity."

"If I recall, it wasn't long ago that he bested you, and I don't remember you saying anything about him being on this level. In fact, I now have plenty of reason to think you'd only fare worse now.""

"Is that so?" Cinder frowned, her eyes becoming wrapped in fiery lenses. "Would you like to judge my strength for yourself?"

They were quickly silenced by a thud on the table. Their full attentions and apologetic faces were turned towards Salem. "That is enough, both of you."

"Please forgive me, your grace." Dr. Watts lowered his head. "But what are we to do against this Madara Uchiha?"

"Nothing." Salem said, smiling confidently. "We simply need to obtain the Relic of Creation. Now that we know exactly what we are dealing with, I am more than confident that we can obtain the relic… If everything is in order for your next assignment, you may leave when ready."

The three nodded in response, and rose to leave. After they exited the room, closing the door behind them, Salem relaxed in her chair.

"So you were telling the truth, Zero Tails." She said, looking up at the ceiling.

In response, the black slug-like entity lowered itself to face her. "Of course. I would never lie when Madara is my enemy… more importantly, what is it that you _actually_ plan to do. You won't win against him, especially not if he reclaims all nine. Not unless you accept my chakra." the creature laughed, its mouth contorting into a grin.

"...indeed." Salem's red eyes glue dimly, as the room started to rumble.

The black creature's smile quickly turned into a grimace, as black hands shot out from around the room, grabbing onto it. It thrashed and shoot, but was unable to escape.

"W-what are you doing?!" the creature shrieked.

"Did you think that after all of this time, I was just sitting idly by? Immortality has not made me arrogant, and it has not made me complacent."

Little by little, the slug's mass started to shrink. It flailed around wildly, trying one last time to free itself, but it was completely helpless. In just a minute, the creature was completely absorbed by the elongated black hands, leaving behind only its mask.

Salem's body started to shake before she started to spasm uncontrollably. Yet throughout the experience, she smiled the entire time. Eventually, the shaking stopped, and Salem looked down at her hands.

"So, this is what dark chakra feels like. Interesting…" she muttered.

* * *

Madara stood in an alleyway facing inwards, but he wasn't alone. In front of him was a girl, one with long white hair.

"So, there really is no other option is there?" A young girl solemnly said.

"No." Madara answered, looking anywhere but ahead of him.

The girl frowned. "That sucks, but it can't be helped. It's our duty to protect humanity. Just know that if this doesn't work, I'll be haunting your dreams!" She said, spreading her arms and smiling.

Madara let out a single chuckle. "Well, that won't be a problem."

With his Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan activated, Madara put his hand on the girl's heart. an exchange was taking place, a reservoir of power was being transferred into Madara, at a certain cost. Yet despite it being beneficial, Madara felt unsatisfied, somewhat hollow.

"It's done." He whispered to himself, as something hit the floor that night, and they wouldn't be getting back up

 **END**


	61. Chapter 61: End of Part 5

**No, i haven't been waiting for volume 7 to come out. I actually have had Atlas planned out before volume 6 showed it. The reason I took so long to upload another chapter? The reason is this one. I really disliked this chapter; because of what I wanted it to be. I was reminded about something, which got me to finally sit down and write it.**

 **Gonna be honest right at the start. This chapter's going to be short, mostly because there's not much that I can really put in it, and it's more a transition chapter. More info at the end.**

Chapter 61

The sun had just barely risen into the sky, marking the beginning of a new day: the second day of the celebrations. However, on this early morning, Ruby, Weiss, and Madara were once more away from the festivities. Instead, they were in one of the school's sparring arenas. As per a request to the headmaster, they were permitted use so long as the arena itself remained intact.

Just as the previous matches, Madara stood alone on one end of the arena. On the other were Ruby and Weiss. Although Weiss had her rapier at the ready, unlike any of their previous skirmishes, Ruby's scythe was nowhere to be found. Although, she did have her scythe-holding paper scroll holstered on her waist.

Madara made a mental note of this, before raising a hand and gesturing the girls. The first move was theirs.

Ruby dashed forward, however she didn't use her semblance. She was just running at him unaided. It wasn't even comparable to her top speed, which was odd. On top of that, she was still unarmed even as she came closer and closer. Weiss hadn't moved yet, just watching her partner and him.

" _What're you planning?_ " Madara thought as he assumed a defensive stance.

Ruby threw a punch at Madara, but just before he could block, her body exploded into rose petals. He Spun around to see her reeling her arm back. Her swing was even faster, but she disappeared again, leaving him nothing to block or counter.

One feint after another, each one getting gradually faster and closer to their target. Madara quickly realized that they weren't even meant to land, causing him to focus less on dodging false swipes and more on information gathering. Despite her speed, Ruby still wasn't a heavy-hitter. Attacking him unarmed, and very clearly trying _not_ to make contact, was bizarre.

Weiss had still yet to move, as if she herself was a statue. The tip of her rapier was sticking into the ground, but nothing was happening.

He had waited long enough. Madara extended his leg to where Ruby was about to be, only for it to fail. Ruby stopped abruptly at Madara's side. Holding her hand out as if about to grasp something. Her palm sparked as she thrusted it into Madara's chest.

He reacted quickly, flipping back and kicking Ruby's arm up. As he distanced himself, he pressed his hands against the ground. Several pillars of sand shot out towards Ruby, who dashed away from the attack. Now on the offensive, Madara ran towards Ruby.

Ruby, with her small build, didn't have a snowball's chance in hell of matching him in strength. Blocking or negating physical attacks wasn't an option. However, her size also made her harder to hit. With the Rinnegan, she managed to keep pace, if only slightly.

" _She's getting better at dodging._ " Madara thought, increasing his speed with chakra.

It was a gradual shift, but a very noticeable one. Yet despite dodging becoming more difficult with each second, Ruby was smiling. Using her semblance, Ruby pushed herself back, but by a very small distance. Before Madara could advance, he suddenly couldn't move his legs. He looked down, only to see a block of blue ice encasing his feet.

Without a second to react, Madara was assaulted once more by the elements. Everything went blue when he was surrounded by a large orb of water.

"Nice!" Ruby shouted, dashing towards the orb with her hands charged with electricity. Just as the electricity touched the water's surface, Madara performed a wind-release jutsu. Before the electric current could reach him, a powerful gust of wind blew the water that carried in all directions. However, the ice remained untouched.

Ruby jumped and brought her legs up, intent on landing a dropkick on him. Madara braced his arms, but as he prepared to bear the force of impact, he lost control of his body. He felt electricity surging through him, coming from behind him. He looked back and saw Weiss, whose rapier was sticking into him, but it wasn't Weiss. It was a doppelganger, almost identical to Weiss herself, but both it and the weapon were made entirely out of ice. Despite this, a small Glyph at the base on the sword caused it to produce electricity.

Madara flushed his body with chakra, giving him a moment to move unimpeded. He quickly swung his arm around, knocking the sculpture's weapon away and freeing himself of paralysis. However, he was distracted just long enough for Ruby to land her attack against the back of his head.

The force of the kick was enough to send Madara flying a far distance, all the way to the other side of the arena. He spun multiple times as he flew, before eventually landing on his feet. He turned back towards them, brushing himself off and making multiple hand signs.

In the next second, Madara spat out a large ball of fire towards the two. Touching it for even a second would throw their auras into the red zone, and end the match immediately. Weiss prepared her defense, covering them both in a glacier. Simultaneously, Ruby pulled out her scroll and unrolled the paper.

On contact between the fireball and the ice, there was an explosion of steam. Madara activated his sharingan, peering into the heart of the cloud. There, he saw a small amount of chakra swirling around.

Not a second later did something emerge from the steam. It was fast—faster than Ruby—ripping through the smoke at a speed several times faster than sound. It whizzed past him. He just barely avoided the projectile, and once it hit the wall, he saw that it was a small Dust rod. He looked back at Ruby and Weiss. Two long metal poles floated in the air, held by Ruby and suspended by a Glyph.

" _So that's why she didn't bring her scythe: to carry those._ " Madara thought, letting a thin smile surface.

It was a replication of what they did before. During their travel by sea, the two managed to incapacitate the Three Tailed Beast with what amounted to a makeshift railgun. Had he been too slow to dodge, it could've done significant damage. Perhaps it could've even punched a hole clean through him.

Upon missing, the looks on both Weiss' and Ruby's face were of disappointment. The Glyph vanished and Ruby let go of the metal rods. However, they weren't quite done yet.

A Glyph appeared on Weiss' palm and her sword. The blade suddenly glue red and orange, like a living flame. In her other hand, a shortsword made of ice appeared. Conversely, Ruby's arms and legs sparked with electricity.

"One more time." Ruby said quietly. Weiss glanced at her, noticing a thin smile forming across her face. She nodded, and placed a Glyph beneath them. The hands of the clockwork-pattern within the Glyph spun, and in a split second they were off.

* * *

Within the corridor that lead to the arena, two people approached. One wore primarily tan and orange, with their golden hair in a long ponytail. She wore a pair of gold colored gloves on her hands. The other's clothes were mostly comprised of white, her black hair being cut down to her neck. At her side was a short katana, and atop her head rested a pair of cat ears.

"Well, if this is where that explosion came from, I think we've found them." The blonde remarked, smiling exhaustedly.

"Unless they've moved somewhere else." the cat faunus answered.

"Let's find out."

Yang and Blake exitted the dimly lit corridor and reached the arena. There they noticed that several sections of the empty seats, which lined the inner walls of the building, were either destroyed or covered in fire and ice. Some had large holes in them, and others were missing entirely. There was some minor damages to the actual walls, but nothing apparently worth noting. In the middle of the arena, however, were some familiar faces.

Both Weiss and Ruby were on the ground, the former leaning against a slant of ice while the latter rested laid on the sandy floor. The two rushed into the arena without a moment's hesitation. As they did, they quickly noticed a certain person's absence.

"Ruby!" Yang shouted as she neared her little sister.

Ruby sluggishly tilted her head, her eyes jumping open. "Yang? Is that you? And Blake too! W-What're you guys doing here?" she asked, smiling.

"It's… a long story." She answered, rubbing her head. "More importantly, are you guys okay?"

"Yeah. We've never been better." Weiss remarked, breathing heavily. She smiled tiredly at the two, leaning off of the slant and reaching out for the two. She managed to pull the entire team together, embracing them weakly.

"Woah, W-Weiss." Blake uttered.

"Shut up. It's not like Ruby's gonna start the group hug." she said, inadvertently making a pouting face.

"Thanks, bestie." Ruby grinned weakly. Little by little, tears appeared and trickled down from her face. "Finally… Team RWBY's back together."

"I think you're forgetting someone." Yang chuckled. "Where's our unofficial fifth member?"

"Just left, probably to book our flight." Weiss answered.

"Wait what? We just got here and we're already leaving? We're gonna miss out the huge party going on." Yang complained. Her comment was met only by laughter from her fellow teammates. Even she soon joined in, abandoning her dissatisfied frown. "So where are we going?" she asked.

"Well… we're headed towards Atlas." Weiss said in a less than excited tone with a less than excited face.

 **END**

 **Apologies for how short it is. Like I said, this was really just a transition chapter i needed so that the cast could get back together. Next chapter will be the regular length (hopefully), and I'm skipping the travel time. In other news, I plan to completely re-write this story when it's finished.**


	62. Chapter 62

**Time to finally get back into this.**

Chapter 62

"This is Argo One, preparing to land. T-minus five minutes."

"Copy that, Argo One. We are ready for Security Checks"

"Sending information and credentials now. Command please be advised; high-value passengers are onboard. General Ironwood wants them safely escorted to the following location."

"…Received and verified Argo One. You have been cleared for landing. Make your way to strip six and a team will be dispatched to assist."

"Understood. Heading there now."

Several minutes later, at a plain harbor, a large ship docked just like any other would. However, neither the ship nor the dock were "normal". It was an airship, one meant for the transportation of high-valued items and resources. The harbor was owned by the Atlas Military, and only such personnel had the privilege of access. That being said, as the airship touched down, and the doors opened, what walked out was not a group of soldiers of any rank.

Only six individuals exited the carrier, all wearing attire different from one another. The newly reunited Team RWBY, Madara Uchiha, and the Winter Maiden all stepped out and into the open. Unfortunately, half of the group was worse for wear against the—below freezing—temperatures.

"W-Why didn't we get any j-j-jackets before coming here?" Yang asked, trying to keep her chattering teeth closed. She breathed into her hands, seeing the whitish mist that formed.

Blake was not faring any better. Like Yang, she was unprepared. The cat ears on her head were without any kind of protection, and thus seemed to fold downwards as if trying to hide in her hair. Her entire body was stiff, as if she were already frozen, or recently thawed out of ice. Ruby's clothes didn't quite help either. Though they covered her body, they were far from thick enough to be insulative.

" _Maybe if I had some scissors._ " Ruby thought, looking at her older sister's hair. Just a small trim would be enough to enrage her. That, in turn, would create plenty of heat for them all. However, the consequences would be dire. She then looked at Weiss, who hadn't changed her clothing at all. Despite that, she looked as composed as can be.

"No fair." She mumbled just barely audible.

"Hey, it's not my fault." Weiss said, lifting her chin proudly. "I grew up here. A little breeze is nothing."

"It's still not fair."

"How do you think I felt when I was in the desert?" Weiss raised an eyebrow. "If I never developed my glyphs, I might've sweat to death."

"Did you made A/C Glyphs?" Yang asked.

Weiss looked offended at Yang, who in turn smiled dumbly. "Just for that, i'm not going to make any of you fires." she said sternly. The three stared at her, horrified and desperate. Ruby in particular looked as if she was about to beg. Before she could get the chance, Weiss' face softened, and with a flick of her wrist, her threat turned into an offering. Three Glyphs and three respective flames appeared simultaneously, bringing relief to the unprepared. Their gratitude showed on their faces.

The three coveted their sources of warmth, as if clinging to life, unaware of what was approaching. Off to the side, there was a small company of Atlesian Knights.

They looked to be a newer model. Unlike the previous "200" versions, these looked more human-like. They were less rigid, with a more sleek and smooth design. Their legs and arms seeming more attached limbs than simply parts connected to each other. They still lacked human faces, having only a black visor, and their bodies were still colored white. Each carried a rifle on their backs, with a sidearm on their legs.

Similarly to her teammates at the warmth she provided, Weiss' eyes widened when she saw that her older sister, Winter Schnee, was leading the battalion.

"Winter!" Weiss exclaimed, inadvertently letting the fires dissipate. Her older sister fidgeted slightly, looking surprised at her younger sister's presence.

"So, you all are the ones I'm supposed to be escorting." She said, more affirming for herself than a question to them. "Alright, come with me."

"Nice to see you too." Weiss mumbled to herself.

They left the port, surrounded by the Knights as a convoy. Their destination was a group of armored trucks, likely taking them to their next location.

No matter how far they walked, the environment was white. All around them, the snow was piled

"Are you Weiss' sister?" Ruby asked, looking curiously at the woman.

Winter looked at Ruby, and she smiled. "As a matter of fact, I am. I'm her older sister, Winter Eis."

Ruby tilted her head in confusion. "Eis? Did you get married? Oh, or do you come from different moms?"

"I'm not married, no. and we _do_ have the same parents, I changed my last name because I didn't want to be associated with the family anymore. That's all."

"Sheesh. I knew I didn't like your dad when I saw him, but I didn't think he was _that_ unbearable." Yang remarked, looking sympathetically at Weiss.

Winter's eyebrow raised. "Oh, Father visited you while you were at Beacon? How has he been?"

"He hasn't changed." Weiss answered plainly with a tinge of irritation. "Fortunately he didn't stay too long, only for a day or two."

Winter laughed briefly, hiding a smile under her hand. "I see. Now, there are a few other questions I have for you. Namely, why are you and your team accompanying Mr. Uchiha?"

Team RWBY collectively turned to look at Madara, who was unfazed by their gazes. However…

"Wow, and here I thought you only had eyes for one white haired chick."

At Yang's comment, the already cold air seemed to freeze still. She snickered at Weiss, whose pale face turned slightly red. However, she also saw something else and it unsettled her. Though it seemed that nobody else did, Yang stopped grinning and faced forward.

"So… what's your mom like?" Ruby asked nervously. "You never talks about her. Is she worse? Or dead?"

"No, nothing like that. There's just, well, there's not much to say about her." Weiss answered, looking away solemnly. "She's just never been very _active_ with us. Even when i was a kid, she was always kind of distant. I think it had something to do with my father, always trying to teach me what to do and not to do, how to act and what to think."

"Oh, sorry." Ruby murmured.

Weiss sighed, looking content. "All of that's in the past now."

Facing away from the group, Winter smiled relieved. Because of her position and responsibilities, spending time with or even seeing her little sister was difficult. Even when they did meet up, their time together never lasted long. With the distance between them, keeping her from following after their father was next to impossible. She intended to invite Weiss to join the Atlas Military. At the very least, Weiss would have a path to walk, an option that didn't involve their family and more specifically father. However, it seemed that she didn't need to.

* * *

Weiss and her older sister sat beside each other in an armored truck. She was in the passenger seat, while Winter drove. The others followed behind in separate trucks. For a while, as they passed around a mountain, there was silence between them. Try as she did, Weiss couldn't think of what to say. Instead, she silently observed her sister.

"Is there something wrong?" She asked, still facing forward.

Weiss slowly turned her head from her sister, "N-no, nothing's wrong. It's just… I don't know what to say. it's been a long time since I got to see you. "

"Two years I believe. I remember watching you board a ship for Vale. You wanted to become a Huntress, to get away from Father. You never looked happier than when you were waving goodbye."

Weiss pouted. "It was… unnerving. I'd never actually been 'alone' till then. The flight was unbearable, and when I finally got there, some dolt nearly destroyed some of my luggage!" she vented, earning a laugh from her sister.

"And what happened after that?"

"Well, that dolt ended up becoming my partner in our initiation." She said, lowering her head. "And then my team leader… and maybe my first friend."

"Do you regret anything? Your initiation, or your time at Beacon?"

"No. Not at all." Weiss answered confidently. "Finding out that I wouldn't be team leader was… it was a shock to me, but I'm fine with it now. I wouldn't give up a single day of my time in team RWBY."

"That's a good answer. I'm glad to see how you've grown."

Weiss leaned back in her seat, simply trying to contain herself. The approval of her sister, her role model, had been received. She wanted to do many things; to scream, cry, cheer, hug, and many many more things. Instead, and with respect to their current situation, she restrained herself. It was far from a good time.

"Speaking of growth, there is something else I'm curious about. I _did_ watch your performance during the tournament at the Vytal Festival. It was rather disappointing. Your coordination with the blonde girl was awful, and you let your lack of unity lead to your defeat. I do hope you've improved since then."

Weiss winced at her sister's words. It stung, especially after the preceding words of praise, but wasn't unbearable. The younger sister had a feeling that if she were to hear it a year ago, it would have hurt much worse.

"That said, the glyphs you used instead of Dust made me curious. You invented them, didn't you?"

Weiss grunted in affirmation. "It's still a work in progress, but I'm close to perfecting it though."

"And what about your Summoning? I didn't see it during the tournament. Were you saving it for the finale?"

"Well… something like that." Weiss said in an uneasy tone. The Vytal Festival was still a time where her summoning was lackluster and incomplete. Using it would've been a waste of time, energy, and would create an opening for her opponents. It was just a bad idea all around.

"Well. either way, I will be finding out shortly."

"...I'm sorry, can you repeat that?" Weiss asked, with a tinge of fear in her eyes.

"When we arrive, I'd like to have a sparring match with you. I want to see how much you've actually grown." There wasn't a hint of sarcasm in her voice. She was completely serious, which only worried Weiss more. Unfortunately, it wasn't something she could refuse. As much as she may have wanted to, something compelled her to accept. "Alright."

"Fair warning, I won't be going easy like before."

Weiss sighed, leaning back as if trying to melt into the seat. "I wouldn't want it any other way."

Looking out the side window, there was a lone car going in the same direction as they were. It was hard to see, as its color was the same white as the surrounding snow. And wWhether because of its distance or its colors, there were no discernible marks on the car. It looked almost like a hallucination. She felt uneasy as she stared at it; something wasn't quite right. No matter the distance, she tried to focus on it.

"Are you actually in a relationship with Mr. Uchiha?" Weiss suddenly heard her sister asked. Without a second thought, she snapped back towards Winter with an indescribable look on her face. Winter glanced at her reaction and grunted to herself. "That's a no then."

"How did you even think of that?" Weiss asked defensively.

Winter laughed, "well, there was the way you reacted. And there was… no, nevermind. Let's change the subject, shall we? What do you think he sees you as?"

Weiss stared at Winter confused, then looked away. "I don't know, something like a friend of a friend I guess. He's always been distant from others, even with Ruby and Yang and they're his sisters."

"I see; that's very unfortunate." Winter mumbled, looking disappointed.

Weiss returned to looking out the window, the only sound she could hear was the running of the motor and the wheels turning against the ground. Nothing was moving except for their vehicle and the two behind them. All there was as far as the eye could see was ice and snow.

* * *

"So, remind me again the game plan?" Jacqueline asked bored. "We get to Atlas, see Ironwood and get the Relic, right?"

"Yes." Madara answered plainly.

Jacqueline readjusted herself, inching closer to the Uchiha. "What's after that? I mean, why do you need the Creation Relic so much?"

"Salem and the Tailed Beasts must be prevented from causing trouble. That's what the Relic is for."

"You seem pretty capable against those animal things as is. So you're going to make a weapon to kill Salem?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.

"No. the relics can't be used to kill Salem however, sealing her is a different matter."

"Even if you do, it's just a stall. She'll just break out and continue the fight. Nothing on this planet could be a good prison for that thing."

"Correct." Madara lifted one finger, pointing upwards at the ceiling. He obviously didn't mean the truck, but there was nothing in the sky except clouds…

Her eyes widened and her mouth hung slightly open. Looking as if she was about to laugh, in complete skepticism of what Madara was implying. "Y-you can't actually be serious. That's impossible." Whether he meant that he would throw her into space, or put her somewhere specific, didn't matter to her. It was completely outlandish. Even with the relics, there were limits. They were powerful, but not all-powerful. Perhaps if he had the power of God, but the opposite was apparent. That said, there wasn't a shred of doubt or insincerity or doubt in his voice. Something about his charcoal black eyes radiated that he was dead serious, and that he was to be believed.

"With the relic, I will be able to."

It clicked in her head. Whatever he planned to use the relic for, it was something indirect or roundabout. The relic itself wasn't going to do the trick, it was going to allow him to.

"Well this is well and good, but I have a problem." Jacqueline assumed a more serious tone and face, as if interrogating him. "I know I asked, but why so expressive now? All of a sudden you go from so stone faced that even robots would shiver at, to talking about your secret mission stuff to semi-strangers. Why _me_?"

His eyes twitched for a moment, before they quickly closed. He hummed softly to himself, before looking back at her. "I suppose it's collateral."

"Is that so… for helping you, yeah?" He didn't respond, she smiled, accepting the silence itself as an answer. "Well, since it's helping everyone, i'm happy to help." she remarked, leaning back into her seat. Shortly after, her smile waned. "Why not tell them though? They're your family aren't they?"

Again, no response, except there wasn't any answer to determine. Even looking at his face, she couldn't tell what he was thinking. Perhaps because even he didn't know for certain.

And just like that, the conversation came to an end. The rest of the ride was in silence, accompanied by maybe a little bit of heavy snoring. The one whom it came from, however, would never be known for certain.

 **END**


End file.
